My Two Selves
by Selenes Song
Summary: Although her family mingles with the malevolent Malfoy's, Rose (O C) wishes to be the good guy. But when she starts to tamper with dark magic, her wish is granted….in a sense. Now this young witch must cope with her dark self.
1. Mixtures That Don't Mix

My Two Selves

Although her family mingles with the malevolent Malfoy's, Rose wishes to be the good guy. But when she starts to tamper with dark magic, her wish is granted….in a sense. Now this young witch must cope with her dark self.

Chapter: 1

**Mixtures That Don't Mix**

Rose Williams sat in the back of the Sixth Year Potions class. As always she sat near her House, Slytherin. On her right was her best friend Blaise Zabini, a chestnut haired girl with laughing toffee eyes. On her left sat Draco Malfoy, the sexiest Slytherin Sixth year. His white-blonde hair glowed like moonlight in the darkened dungeon, while his gray eyes shimmered with mischief. Rose smiled as she continued to stare while Professor Snape continued to lecture on when it was appropriate to use werewolf fangs.

"That's enough lecture for now." Snape addressed the slightly dozing class in a slick, slimy voice that matched the greasiness of his black hair. His hooked nose looked more hooked than last year. His skin looked paler too. Or maybe it was just the light. "I have decided to have you do partner projects."

Rose's black haired head snapped up in attention. Had she heard the word partners and projects in the same sentence? She groaned softly so only Blaise and Draco could hear her. She turned to find Draco staring at her.

Draco touched her softly which sent shivers of delight up Rose's back. He smiled and bent close to her ear and whispered, "Hey. Can I borrow a piece of parchment?"

Annoyed, Rose handed him a piece.

Draco grinned and whispered his thanks.

Rose just sighed in disappointment and back in to what Snape was saying.

"The projects are going to be on five ingredients that can be used successfully in a sleeping potion. I want a two page paper by Thursday. That gives you two days to do it so I expect it to be perfect." Snape's said in his nasty voice. "I will assign everyone's partner."

The whole class moaned as if being tortured.

"Now, now class. It won't be _that _bad." coaxed Snape. "Let's see. Ah, yes. Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy will be working together."

Black haired Harry Potter turned to face Draco in disgust as Professor Snape continued to name off partners.

Harry was a Gryffindor, the "noble" house. He was "the boy who lived" because he had defeated Lord Voldemort when he was just a baby. His heroic tales go on and on. It was the same old story, Harry always won and the bad guy always lost.

"_I wish I could be the good guy for once._" Rose thought to herself. _"Then I could..."_

"Miss Williams!" Snape's irritable voice interrupted her thoughts. "I would appreciate it if you would at least pretend to pay attention in my class! Now, as I was saying, Miss Granger and Miss Williams will be working together. Now class split into your groups."

Rose looked over at Hermione Granger who was coming to sit next to her. She had bushy brown hair that looked like a pom-pom. Her eyes were a beautiful light brown.

"Filthy Mudblood" she mumbled silently.

Rose didn't really know Hermione that well. Other than she was the smartest girl in the whole school and she assisted Harry on his quests. She seemed like a nice enough person, but Gryffindors and Slytherins just aren't supposed to be friends. It's like an unwritten rule.

Hermione sat where Blaise was sitting about five seconds earlier. "After classes we should meet in the library. That way we can get most of the project done today. Then we could…."

Rose yawned and turned to stare at Draco's head.

"What?" Hermione asked in annoyance. She followed Rose's gaze. "Oh. He is pretty good looking." Rose turned her attention back to Hermione and raised an eyebrow. "For a Slytherin that is." She added quickly.

"Doesn't every girl have even the slightest crush on him?" Rose asked.

"I suppose so." Hermione said in a not so convincing voice. Her eyes were traveling to the back of Harry's head. "Shouldn't we get to work?"

"Nice way to change the subject." Rose mumbled quietly. "Ok, let us get started."

**Hogwarts Library**

The library was filled with students working on projects. It seemed that every teacher was trying to suffocate each student in homework so they would die. Then the teachers wouldn't have to put up with snotty kids.

But then again….the teachers would lose their jobs.

"Rose? Rose! Pay attention!" Hermione snapped.

"What?" Rose asked lazily. She had been staring at a couple of Hufflepuff Seventh Years boys who were sitting at a table nearby. She didn't know their names, but she would like to find out soon.

One of the boys turned her way and winked at her. He had plain brown hair and plain brown eyes. It was his muscular figure that made him so damn attractive.

He poked his buddy in the ribs. He gave a short "Ow!" then turned to where Rose was supposed to be doing homework. He smiled showing all his perfectly white teeth.

He had blonde hair and blazing blue eyes. His semi-muscular figure showed through his robes making him irresistible.

"The brown haired is Kyle Flemmings. The other one is Greg Jones. His sister is Chelsea Jones who is in Ravenclaw. It's her first year and…" Hermione babbled.

Rose had enough of this Mudblood's seemingly endless blather. She rolled her eyes and said in disgust, "Hermione, just shut up already! Stupid Mudbloods! "

Hermione clearly looked hurt, but she didn't say anything more and continued to do her work.

Rose looked at Hermione and shook her head. This girl studied so much and aced all tests given to her that everyone's surprised that her eyeballs hadn't fallen out yet. Some Slytherins made a bet to see how long it would be before she cracked. All of them lost because she's still holding herself together.

On the other hand, Rose hardly ever studied, but still got outstanding grades. Things just came easy to her.

Rose looked away from Hermione and started to stare at the boys again.

She felt awful that she called Hermione a Mudblood, but if she apologized, things might get out of control.

There was an unwritten rule that has been at Hogwarts for as long as anyone can remember; Slytherins and Gryffindors are enemies.

Another unwritten rule; Mudbloods and Purebloods don't associate. At least that's how it is in the Slytherin House.

Rose didn't want to hurt Hermione, but being a Pureblood from Slytherin, she would be risking her life as well as Hermione's. She wanted to be friends, but things would be complicated.

Very complicated.

Rose stopped staring for a moment to look at Hermione. She was sitting with a book on her lap. She appeared to be reading it, but Rose could see traces of tears in her eyes.

Rose suddenly stood up. "I am tired. I think I'll turn in for the night. See you."

Hermione mumbled her goodbye and stood up slowly. She silently gathered her things and walked away.

A twinge of guilt ran through Roses body. She shook her head, ashamed of herself. But hadn't she always made fun of Mudbloods? Why was this one so different?

She shook her head again and walked forlornly to the Slytherin Common Room.

**Gryffindor Common Room**

"Why do I have to be Muggle born? Why me?" Hermione asked herself as she paced the floor. She furrowed her brow in concentration.

"Because that's who you are. You can't change that. Sometimes I wish we could, but then life wouldn't be full of surprises." A casual voice called.

Hermione spun around to face the owner of the voice. Harry Potter, the greatest friend a girl could ask for. "I suppose so."

"Why are you pacing? Let me guess. Was it Potions assignment?" Hermione nodded. "That's a given."

"Speaking of Potions; how was your partner?" Hermione asked as she waited for the full, terrible report.

To her surprise, he answered, "Not bad. Malfoy just told me to do two paragraphs and he would do the rest. He said as long as he didn't have to see me he wouldn't mind (that much) working with me. And," He took out two sheets of parchment from his pocket, "I have finished it all."

Hermione shook her head and wondered how life would never cease to amaze her.

"I think I'll turn in for the night. I don't think I will be joining you in the Great Hall for dinner. See you tomorrow. Oh and tell Ron goodnight." She hurried up the stairs to bed before Harry could get in a word.

As she got ready for bed she thought of her friends; Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

Harry was the greatest friend ever. He was brave, smart and funny all in one neat package. His gorgeous black hair made her want to run her fingers through it. His deep green eyes comforted her no matter what the situation.

Ron on the other hand was very frightful, but could be exceptionally brave on rare occasions. He was sometimes funny, but most of his jokes were lame. She hated to judge a friend this way, but almost everything about Ron had a slight lameness to it. His fiery red hair stood out against his pale face like his head was on fire.

Hermione winced. She hated to be mean. Sometimes she had to defend herself or her Muggle family. On those times she had a feverish tongue that could ramble off thirteen four-lettered words over and over.

Only few people made her feel this way; Draco Malfoy and his chums Crabbe and Goyle; the Dark Lord Voldemort and now Rose Williams.

She slipped into bed and last thoughts were _I wish something bad would happen to Rose._

**Slytherin Common Room**

Rose was sitting quietly on a couch near the fireplace reading a book when Draco and his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, walked in from their dormitories. They were laughing and talking about random things.

"Draco my man, you are a genius! This will be the best prank since your father's time!" Crabbe praised Draco.

"You are so the best." Goyle added in a grunt.

Draco stood there with a proud smile on his face. "I'm all that and a bag of chips."

Rose made a gagging noise to show her disgust at Draco's lame excuse for a sentence.

Draco looked over at her. He smiled at her with one of his perfect smiles.

Rose felt herself blush. She had taken a liking to Draco Malfoy in her Third Year. They were friends, but not real good friends.

"So what is this prank you three are pulling off?" Rose asked in a smooth voice. She shifted positions so that some of her black hair fell over her green eyes and her perfect legs peeked from under her robes. She gave Draco a venomous smile.

He seemed to like how she was sitting because his eyebrows arched as he copied her smile. "Since you asked. We are planning to sneak into the Potions Room and make an invisibility potion so we could sneak around Hogwarts at night to do some mischief. Nothing serious of course. Just plain fun."

Crabbe and Goyle nodded like idiots at the sound of the idea.

"That sounds like fun. Can I possibly help?"

"Well, you see, it is going to be hard to not get caught. I mean with Filch wandering around." He said in a know-it-all kind of voice.

"Don't forget his scraggly old cat, Mrs. Norris." Goyle put in.

"Yeah. That is one ugly cat." Crabbe added.

"More like a rat." Goyle said as the two burst into laughter.

Rose shook her head in repulsion. _Crabbe and Goyle are so thick. _She thought to herself. _ They don't even know we were flirting. How daft can they be?_

Draco was obviously was just as disgusted in his friends. He sent them away with a flick of his hand.

Rose took this opportunity and sat up straight. She still had the book she was reading in her hand.

Draco turned to look at Rose and frowned. "What's this?" He picked up Rose's book. "_Gone With the Wind_ by Margaret Mitchell?" He cocked an eyebrow. "Is this a _Muggle book_?"

Rose nodded slowly and hung her head sadly.

Draco sat down next to Rose and placed the book on the floor. "Not to fret love. Even though I despise Muggles, I still have to admit they do have many great books." He put his arm around her waist as he gave her one of his should-be-award-winning smiles. He added, "But I think everything else about Muggles is just plain old stupid. To hell with all of them I say!"

Rose giggled and blushed. Why did he make her feel like this? All the other guys just made her feel good or got on her nerves. What was so different about him?

"So?" Rose asked impatiently. "Can I go tonight or what?"

"Let me think….." Draco stroked his chin as if that would make him seem smarter. "I would have to keep an eye out for you. We probably could use your help. Yes you may come."

"Great! When and where?"

"Here at midnight. Don't be late." Draco sized her up. "You look comfortable. I like that look in a girl."

Rose just smiled and blushed.

For a couple minuets they stared at each other; his cold gray eyes into her venomous green ones. Then unexpectedly, he pulled her close. He pressed his lips against hers.

Their kiss was interrupted by a laughing voice. "Oy mates! Warn a person next time you are going to be snogging!"

Blaise walked into the common room from the girl's dormitories. She was laughing at the two of them as she said, "Come on mates! It's time for dinner. On to the Great Hall!"

Draco and Rose exchanged looks of disappointment. They both shared a sheepish smile.

Together, along with Blaise, they walked to the Great Hall.

**Gryffindor Girl's Dorms**

Hermione woke up suddenly drenched in sweat. Her breathing was rigid and unsure.

She looked over at her sleeping roommates. Serena Frees, a tall elegant girl with stunning blue eyes and colorful red/brown hair, slept without a sound on her far left. On her immediate left, a short coco skinned girl with brown eyes named Christina Hayes also slept peacefully. To the right of Hermione, an aqua eyed, pale skinned girl named Lavender Brown mumbled in her sleep something about how moldy cheese grew on her Grandmother's dinning room table.

Hermione shook her head at the silly girls comment. She looked over at her watch next to her bed. It read 11:48 p.m.

She sighed and got out of bed. She couldn't sleep. Hermione felt bad about earlier that day. Even though her friends were practically unconscious, the need to be alone was in desperate measures. She needed to walk around so she could clear her thoughts.

She put on some jeans under her nightdress and carefully crept to the common room. She headed up to the boy's dorms.

It was a small luxury being a girl; boys could not come into the girls dormitories, but girls can go into the boys.

She silently went up the steps to Harry's bed and looked through his trunk. There she found what she was looking for,

His invisibility cloak.

Hermione smiled to herself as she went out of the dorm without a sound. She put on the cloak and tiptoed past the common room, into the corridor beyond.

She felt so protected underneath the large wrap. Nothing could stand in her way.

Hermione walked for a couple of minuets and soon she found herself in the dungeons. This particular dungeon just happened to be Professor Snape's.

"Fantastic." She mumbled to herself. Snape was the whole reason she felt like crud. She wanted to cast a spell on him that would make him fall down on his arse. Then she would laugh at him and torment him.

She sighed and sat down at one of the tables.

**Slytherin Common Room**

_Where are they? _Rose checked her watch again. It was only 11:58. They still had two minutes.

She tapped her against the green carpeted floor. She checked her watch again. It was still 11:58.

Rose smoothed out her black tank-top and low rise blue jeans cutoffs. She looked down at her feet and sighed. She forgot to change into shoes. On her feet were identical pink bunny slippers her mother had got her for Christmas two years ago. At least she remembered to change out of her black nightdress that had pink poodles all over it.

Rose checked her watch again. It was now 12:00. She glanced around the room nervously. Maybe they weren't going to show up after all. Perhaps it was just some prank they had pulled. How many other girls had been deceived by Draco's sexy appearance or his wonderful kisses?

Rose sighed and started to turn in the direction of the Girls Dormitories.

"Oy! You aren't chickening out now are you?" a voice whispered.

She turned to the sound of the voice. Draco, Goyle and Crabbe stood on the bottom step of the Boys Dorms. Each of them hand their arms crossed and were balancing on one foot. They appeared to be ready to shout "Let's go girls!" any second.

"It's about time you got here. _I _was the one afraid you wouldn't show." _I was afraid that I was another victim of your damn pranks!_ She wanted to add, but held her tongue.

"Are we all ready? Or would you like the chance to change you shoes?" Draco stifled a laugh as he pointed his chin at her bunny slippers. Crabbe and Goyle are so thick they didn't realize what was going on. They snickered just because their leader laughed.

"I thought you liked the comfortable look in a girl. Now do you suddenly change your mind?" Rose gave him the puppy dog pout and started to fake whimper. _What the hell was she doing?_

Despite the random flip flop in his stomach, Draco managed to smile a weak smile. _Curse his damn stomach! Curse Rose for making him feel this way!_

Even though he had been with other girls, they were simply there for the pleasure of snogging in dark corners. This girl was different. The curves on her body were different. She wasn't fat, but she wasn't freakishly skinny. Her bright green eyes lured him in like a fish on a hook. Rose's long black hair feel to her waist at just the right length and it always smelled like lavender.

Draco felt a small bit of color add to his cheeks.

Rose was in bewilderment. _Since when did Draco Malfoy blush? _Rose tried to think of another time. She failed.

Behind Draco, Crabbe poked Goyle for some completely random reason. Then Goyle poked his back. Pretty soon they had a small poking fight. How dumb.

Rose started to giggle.

Draco, oblivious to his two thugs' fight, whirled around to find Goyle's finger in Crabbe's eye. Draco gave them both an evil eye to stop them.

"That was really uncalled for. Like moldy cheese on a table." Rose thought out loud.

"Moldy cheese? Where did that come from?" Draco asked in a semi smile.

"Oops." Rose quickly recovered herself with a sardonic remark. "It came from your mom!" (A/n: Don't you just hate those Your mom jokes?)

Draco was entirely in the dark. Of course he didn't know that really bothersome Muggle joke. So he replied, "My mom doesn't cook. And if she did, why would it be on the table?"

"Never mind. Can we go now? It's already 12:03."

"Sure. Crabbe! Goyle! Fall behind."

The two ignorant boys followed Draco's order and let the other two walk in front of them. Together, the all walked out of the Common Room.

**Potions Dungeon**

Hermione shot her head up. She yawned. How long had she fallen asleep? She checked her wrist to find her watch not there.

She got up from the table and quietly crept to the door.

She suddenly stopped in her tracks as the door flew open. Hermione jumped back to avoid being knocked in the face.

"Shhhhh! Don't make any noise." The voice was familiar to Hermione.

Four figures stalked into the room.

Even in the darkness of the dungeon, Hermione could see clearly who they were; Rose Williams, Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. The threesome was obviously up to no good, but what was Rose doing here?

"Get a caldron. Quickly and don't make any noise!" Draco ordered Crabbe. "I brought the ingredients thanks to Professor Snape's assignment. I had the time to look up the perfect elements of an invisibility potion.

Hermione stifled a gasp and back away from the door. It would be very interesting to see them get caught. She normally would have gotten them into trouble, but if she did, she would be in the inconvenience too. So she watched.

"Got the caldron? Good. Now Rose, put in the ingredients I brought. Remember follow the directions on this parchment exactly. If you don't, who knows what will happen. We don't want a mixture that doesn't mix" Draco handed Rose the piece of paper and gave her a smile.

She smiled back and began to measure out exactly what she needed for the first couple of ingredients. Very carefully she mixed it in the black pot. Then she took a fistful of newt eyes and dropped them in.

Puzzlement filled her face as she looked down at the parchment.

Her face quickly overflowed with terror. Too much eye of newt. Oops.

Suddenly an emerald light engulfed her.

Hermione was quick to react and threw off Harry's cloak. She tried to help the poor girl, but it was too late.

The last thing Rose remembered was a slight pain and two sets of eyes staring at her; one pair brown and the other was green. Then everything went black.

A/n: Ooo! Kind of a cliffhanger. This is my first fanfiction story so give me some slack. And it's my birthday so the present you can give me is reviewing! (Or at least is was 2/8) I'll try to update fast!


	2. Getting To Know Me

Ch. 2: **Getting to Know Me**

A/n: I don't own any Harry Potter characters, but I have made some of my own characters to make it more interesting.

This chapter is mainly informative about changes in people's personalities and how Rose and her "twin" meet.

**Hogwarts Hospital Wing**

Hermione paced back and forth as Rose lay in the bed. She occasionally glanced down at the unconscious body.

It was a scary sight. Rose's face was ghost white. Her eyes were circled with black as if someone took eyeliner and colored around her eyes. She had a raging fever that hadn't gotten any better since the accident.

That was three days ago.

Hermione shook her head sadly and sat down on the bed next to Rose's. "Why won't you get better?"

"It will take time. I suggest you get back to your classes. Professor Dumbledore was nice enough to let you off for three days, but I think it's time for you to skedaddle." The calm, demanding voice startled Hermione.

Somewhere, a bell tolled the end of classes for today.

_Harry should be starting Quidditch practice about now._ Hermione sighed at the thought. She enjoyed watching the players zoom to and fro across the field. It was such an exciting sport. Then again, it was also very dangerous.

She looked up and saw Madam Pomfrey coming with some medicine for Rose. She looked at Hermione with sad eyes. Her slightly wrinkled face looked older.

_She must be worn out_. Hermione thought to herself. "Ma'am, I don't want to be rude, but is it all right if I stay with her until she can sit up on her own? Then I promise to be out of your hair. Please?"

Madam Pomfrey gave her a low-spirited look. "You can stay, but at least make yourself useful. Take these and make some beds."

Hermione shot off the bed and snatched the bed linen and quickly made the beds one by one. She just finished the last one when two boys came in carrying a Slytherin. Two more boys came in dragging a Gryffindor.

"Draco! Harry! What happened?" Hermione rushed to the side of Harry as he was being placed in a bed.

"Mum? Why are you in my bathroom? Where's Pedro? What happened to my rubber ducky?" Harry mumbled.

"Oh my! Thank you for bringing these two in. Now shoo so I can do my work." Madam Pomfrey motioned the four Quidditch players to leave. Then she turned to Hermione. "Be a dear and check Mr. Malfoy's pulse and take a towel and try to get off all the blood and dirt. I'll be there in a minute."

Hermione did as she was asked and carefully checked his pulse. It was normal. He was basically normal except for the fact that he was unconscious.

She wiped the stains off his soiled robes and sighed at Draco. He was such a bloody bastard. Why should she help him? He was one reason Harry was always getting into knots, especially in Quidditch. Literally.

She sighed again as Draco started to moan. His eyes fluttered open.

"Hermione? What the bloody hell? Where am I? Why are you here? Why does my arse hurt so much? Oh! What the bloody hell?" Draco yelled/moaned.

"Oh just hush up you little bugger! Can't you see that Rose is half dead and Harry is half out of his mind?" Hermione glared daggers at Draco as Harry lay on his cot stroking Madam Pomfrey's hair and saying how much he wanted to ride a fire breathing cow.

How special.

"Can't you just leave me be. I was just doing what Madam Pomfrey asked of me. No need to get all testy Malfoy!" Hermione continued. Then under her breath she muttered, "Oh the son of a bitch!"

Draco heard her comment and returned it with, "Filthy Mudblood!"

Hermione looked at Malfoy in disgust and walked away to Madam Pomfrey (Who was now giving Harry a dirty look).

"Is there anything else you need me to do?" Hermione asked sweetly, but to herself she added, _anything that doesn't involve Draco Malfoy!_

"No, not really. How's Mr. Malfoy fairing?"

"Just fine."

"Is he hurting at all?"

"Just his bottom."

Madam Pomfry cocked an eyebrow and gave her a puzzled look. "Umm...ok. I will be over in a minute to give him a potion for his – er - pain. Let me finish up with Mr. Potter. Why don't you go keep Mr. Malfoy busy?" With that she turned her back on Hermione and extracted a long needle with some kind of knock out potion in it.

Hermione sigh and decided not to upset Madam Pomfrey. She slowly made her way back to Draco's cot.

"What do you want Mudblood?" Malfoy snarled.

"I am just doing my job." Hermione said coldly and gave Draco an evil glare that would have sent shivers up even Lord Voldemort's back.

Draco gave a small noise somewhere between a whimper and a moan. Then he recomposed himself. "Well, do your job. Just leave me alone." He rolled over on the bed and gave a shudder in pain. He rolled back over and moaned. His faced twisted in nauseating pain.

"Ouch." he said in a weak voice only Hermione heard.

Hermione suddenly felt empathy for her enemy. She rushed over and patted his hand. Then she sat on the edge of his bed and stroked his head. "Poor Draco."

Draco smiled feebly, but soon recovered himself. "What do you think you're doing you damn, filthy Mudblood? Bitch!"

Hermione looked down at Draco in disgust. She let go of Draco's hand and sprang from the bed. She stormed over to where Madam Pomfrey was cleaning her needle.

Hermione shuddered at the sight of the long, pointy, sharp and deadly needle. Her face paled.

"Yes? Do you need something?" Madam Pomfrey asked serenely. She handled the needle carefully, making sure none of the potion leaked out.

"Er, yeah. I need to use the loo so I will be back." Hermione strode out of the Hospital Wing. She didn't need to use the bathroom, but she needed to get away.

Her face flushed with embarrassment. Why had she felt sorry for Draco? What could he have possibly done to make her feel this way?

Hermione pounded through the corridor. Her hands curled in a fist and her face red hot.

She walked for about fifteen minutes and, to her relief, didn't see anyone along the way.

When she finally stopped, it was in the girl's bathroom 'haunted' by Moaning Myrtle. No one ever came into this particular bathroom because of the unfortunate Myrtle.

Myrtle seemed to be away for the time being. So Hermione sat down on the floor and took time to contemplate:

_I don't like him at all! He is a big git and could die for all I care. He is an evil being and should be put in Azkaban. _

_And yet, his smooth blonde hair and deep gray eyes attract me so. His laugh is sweet and however it is cold and hateful._

_Yes. He is cold and hateful. He's nothing but a giant, no good, stinking skunk._

_But what do I really know about him, besides all his evil doings. Do I know the real Draco Malfoy?_

_Yes I do!_

_No I don't!_

_Yes I do!_

_No I don't!_

_Yes!_

_No!_

_Yes!_

_No!_

"Ahhh!" Hermione screamed and covered her ears. This was so confusing. She was sure she didn't like Draco and yet, she was she didn't hate him. Hermione shook her head and stood up to leave.

On her way back to the Hospital Wing, Hermione suddenly remembered Rose.

Poor Rose was lying unconscious without a friend. Though Hermione was certainly no friend of Rose's, she still felt bad about what happened three days earlier. She saw the whole thing happen.

It started out as harmless fun, then suddenly Rose mixed the wrong thing and she got knocked half dead.

Draco, Crabbe and Goyle ran for their lives as Hermione tried to save Rose.

Then the strangest thing happened. There, before Hermione, stood two Roses. Except one was standing smiling devilishly and the other was dead to the world.

Hermione was about to speak to the Evil Rose, but before she could say a word, she was gone.

Then Hermione took Rose to the Hospital Wing and straight into Madam Pomfrey's care.

She didn't dare tell anyone what she saw. Well, maybe she would tell Rose, but for now she would wait and see what tomorrow would bring.

**Hospital Wing**

The first thing Rose saw when she opened her eyes was a blurry picture of Hermione's soft brown eyes staring down at her. Then her vision cleared and she saw Hermione's face twisted in worry and trauma. Her frizzy hair looked un-kept. Actually, everything about Hermione was un-kept. She was a mess.

"Oh thank Merlin you're alive! She's alive! Oh Rose, I am so sorry. I felt so bad because of what happened to you. It wasn't my fault, actually I had nothing to do with it, but I still feel really bad. Really, really, really, really, really awful. Oh Rose! Can you ever forgive me?"

Rose, very confused, simply replied, "Umm, sure. I forgive you."

"Terrific!" Hermione squealed and threw her arms around Rose in a death squeezing grip.

Still confused, Rose asked her, "Er, what am I forgiving you for?"

A brief flash of terror sparked across Hermione's face. Then suddenly it was gone and she smiled. "Oh let's not bother about about it now. It's not _that _important."

_What a little liar! _Rose thought to herself. _ It's clearly written in her eyes! Something's up. Wait a second. Am I in the Hospital Wing? What am I doing her? Is this why Hermione's acting strange?_

"What in the Name of Merlin am I in the Hospital Wing for?" The sentence escaped her before she could clamp her mouth shut. _Nice one Rose!_

Hermione stood dumbstruck by the question. Then it hit her: Rose didn't know about her other self! She gasped.

Quickly she pulled the curtains of Rose's bed around them and muttered a Silencing Charm.

"Hermione? What's going on?"

"Rose, are you alright? Are you feeling faint? Sick? Need to vomit?"

"No, I feel fine, except an ache in my head. It feels like I've been split in two."

"How ironic."

"Huh?"

"Er, let's just say that you were split in, er, two."

"What the bloody hell is going on? What are you talking about?"

"Er, do you remember what happened three days ago?"

"You mean last Tuesday? Er, yeah. I think I do, barley though."

"Can you tell me what you remember?" Hermione's eyes widened.

"Well, I recall that Draco and I were going to do something…something in the Dungeons. Oh and his cronies were there too; Crabbe and Goyle. Ugg, what an awful lot!"

"Anything else?" Hermione's eyes were as big as saucers now.

"Er, I think…oh yes! We were brewing a potion. Draco was saying something about mixtures and poof! The last thing I remember was two pairs of eyes. One pair was brown and the other was blue. No! They were green. Yes, a bright green. They seemed evil and hard. Then after that, an awful pain and then black. The next thing I knew I was looking in your eyes laying in the Hospital Wing with a splitting headache."

The stared at each other for a minuet before Hermione broke the news.

"Rose, I know why you have a headache. I know why you saw two pairs of eyes last night. I know why the evil eyes belong to. At least I think I do…"

"Come out with it!"

"Ok! The potion you brewed counteracted. It was supposed to be an invisibility potion. Don't ask me how I know. I don't think you need to know that right now. Anyway, I believe the potion you concocted was a Body Splitting potion or something like it. I think I read something about that… Anyhow, I think now there are two of you running about Hogwarts. Well, one is at least, since you're sitting here."

"Merlin's Beard! You mean there's TWO of me?" Hermione nodded. "Bloody, bloody hell! This is a disaster! Oh!" A river of colorful words rushed out of Rose's perfectly formed mouth.

"Rose it's going to be fine… I hope…"

"Where the hell is my twin?"

"Somewhere in Hogwarts."

"Just great! We don't know where she, er, it is."

"Let's hope it's a girl."

Rose smiled at Hermione's weak joke. "What are we going to do?"

"Not tell anyone except Dumbledore. When you can get out of bed the first thing we are going to do is explain _everything_ to him."

Rose gave her an uncertain look. "Everything?"

"I'm sure he'll understand. We might get into trouble. If we go straight to him we won't get into much trouble."

"All righty."

"Let me get Madam Pomfrey to check you out and if you can walk we'll leave." Hermione started to get up to leave.

"Er, Hermione?"

She stopped. "Yes?"

"Why are you being nice to me? I mean, it's not that I don't appreciate it, but why? I thought you hated me."

"Well, I did. But I just feel guilty." Rose couldn't meet her eye. "Besides, I don't hate you anymore."

"It's weird. It seems all the people I hated before I like now. Take Potter and Weasley for example. I always loathed them. Now it seems that the hate disappeared. For once in my life I don't hate. Well except for some people, er, things."

Hermione understood some of the "things" she was referring too. She shuddered slightly.

Rose moved into a sitting position with some painful difficulty. "Thanks Mione."

"Welcome." Hermione said as she stood up and removed the curse from the curtains.

Hermione found Madam Pomfrey checking on Draco.

"Ma'am? Rose is awake."

She looked up from her work and replied, "Thank you dear. Wait here with Mr. Malfoy again please."

Hermione sighed as Madam Pomfrey moved on to her other patient. She took a step towards Draco's bed and stopped short.

He was sleeping.

_He looks so peaceful. Handsome, quiet and perfect. _

_He is an evil person. Don't think such thoughts._

_He is everything._

_He is nothing but dirt._

Hermione fought an emotional battle inside herself and came to one conclusion: she wanted him. _I really want him._

Hermione shook her head and scolded herself "Don't be a daft idiot! He's evil!"

"Who's evil?"

Hermione spun around to find Rose dressed in her robes and giggling.

"Er, nothing. Can you go?"

"Madam Pomfrey decided that I am perfectly fine and gave me a potion for my headache."

"Shall we be going?"

"Just a minuet please." Rose placed a note next to Draco's head and cursed him softly.

Hermione looked at Rose curiously. Her black hair was pulled into a tight bun atop her head and her clothing was perfect. Everything about Rose was perfect, except the little problem about her twin and now Draco. Wasn't she supposed to be madly in love with him?

"Ready?" Rose asked her.

"I should be asking you that."

"Well, it's now or never."

"Let's go."

**Headmaster's Office**

Rose and Hermione arrived at the Headmaster's office ten minuets later.

They were out of breath from running and Rose was practically fainting as they appeared before a statue.

"Su...gar…q...q.uil...lls…" Hermione huffed out the password.

The statue moved to reveal a staircase moving up in a spiral.

The two teen witches climbed the stairs and knocked on the door to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Come in." a warm voice called.

The door opened exposing a large office filled with pictures of all the Headmasters and Mistresses of Hogwarts throughout the years.

"Professor Dumbledore, we, er, need to talk to you about something." Rose said in small voice.

"Indeed we do."

"Huh?" The girls stared at him in confusion.

"Miss Williams' sister heard about her accident and came all the way over from Durmstrang to visit you. She came to my office first to ask permission to stay for the rest of the year. She said she was thinking about transferring so she could be closer to her twin sister.

"That's kind of funny because I didn't even know you had a twin let alone a sister. I thought you were an only child. My mistake." There was a twinkle in his eye as he explained this to Rose.

Hermione was calm on the outside, but very confused in the inside.

Rose was worse. She couldn't remember or think anything. All her thoughts were scrambled. Her face was as blank as an unwritten on piece of parchment.

"My sister?"

"Yes. Her name is Amelia. Remember?" Dumbledore's eye twinkle was fading.

"Oh, yes. I just, er, forgot with my being in the Hospital Wing and everything."

"Yeah, er, the trauma was too much for her." Hermione added.

"Anyway Professor, I came to tell you that, er, my sister was thinking of transferring, but it seems she already told you so I am going to leave. Good day!" Rose grabbed Hermione's arm and headed out of the office.

"Rose, what the bloody hell are we going to do?" Hermione's face was stretched in worry.

"I'll worry about "Amelia" later. Right now you need to change and I need to fix you up. You look like a mess!"

"That's what happens when someone you know is in the Hospital Wing." Hermione said defensively while crossing her arms across her chest.

Suddenly the witches burst into peals of laughter.

"Let me grab my make-up and we'll have a little spa party. I'm not sure you can come into the Slytherin Common Room. I'm afraid they'll kill you." Then Rose added, "Sorry."

"Let's go to the Gryffindor Common Room. The girls there won't bite and I'm almost sure they won't try to hex you." Hermione suggested.

"Excellent. I'll meet you there in about five minuets. Wait outside for me!" With the last remark Rose bounded off towards the Gryffindor Common Room leaving Hermione standing alone.

Hermione sighed a happy sigh and started walking.

**Gryffindor Common Room**

Hermione and Rose were not alone in their small party. Some of Hermione's roommate, Serena Frees, Christina Hayes and Lavender Brown, were there to join in on the fun and give tips for Hermione's eyes and other things.

They gossiped and giggled about boys, upcoming tests, homework assignments, boys, how evil Professor Snape was and of course, more boys.

"What is with you and Harry, Hermione? Going out yet?" Christina asked. Her brown eyes were filled with excitement.

Hermione frowned. "No. We are just friends. Besides, I don't even like him that way."

"I thought you did. That's a pity." Lavender added her comment trying to act sad, but inside she was thankful. She had a crush on Harry forever.

"There! I'm all finished with Hermione! It's a masterpiece I tell you!" Rose shouted as she admired her work.

All eyes turned to Hermione. She was beautiful. Usually her hair was a frizzy mess, but now it was soft and smooth and straight. Her brown eyes were illuminated by the silky purple eyeshade and mascara. Her lips were a pale pink. Hermione was beautiful.

"Oh Hermione! You must wear the make-up to dinner! I will simply die if you don't." Serena said with squealing delight.

"Dramatic much?" Hermione asked in a sarcastic kind of voice. She hated to wear make-up or have makeovers done to her. She believed in natural beauty.

That was before she saw herself in the mirror.

"Oh Merlin! I like…different…" Hermione was too shocked to say much more.

"Girls, we are going to be late for dinner." Christina put in.

Everyone checked a watch, clock or some sort of timepiece.

"Yikes!" they all shrieked in unison.

Without bothering to clean up, the young witches sped off to the Great Hall for food.

**Great Hall**

The students that night were buzzing with gossip about Hermione's new look. Everyone, with the exception of Draco and Harry who were still in the Hospital Wing, was shocked to fine Hermione looking very pretty.

It was a very happy meal at the Gryffindor table.

It was a complete opposite for the Slytherin Table.

At least it was in Rose's point of view. Usually everyone was talking to her and telling her how they are going to this or that. Now everyone ignored her, even Blaise. They were all too busy talking to or about Amelia.

_The evil bitch! What am I saying? She is me! I am cursing myself! Ack! I am so confused…_ Rose rubbed her head in perplexity.

About halfway through someone finally talked to her. Unfortunately that someone was non-other than Miss Popularity herself: Amelia.

"Dear sister, your friends are oh so, what's the word? Oh yes, _nice._" Her voice was as sleek as oil and spilled out like a toxin.

"Go to hell you bitch!" Rose screamed at her "sister".

"Oh ickle baby's got a potty mouth. We'll soon fix that." She pulled out her wand and started to form words, but Rose quickly raised her own and shouted out her own threat.

"Don't even think of it! If you do the whole school will know you're a psychotic maniac

Then her face changed into sickening pleasure. "Darling sister of mine," Her oozy smile deepened and she whispered to Rose, "I am evil. Evil shall conquer over good."

Rose couldn't think of anything to say. Her own self was beyond evil!

"What's the matter beloved Rose? Cat got her tongue?" Her sister's eyes dazzled with wickedness.

"You wicked bitch! How the bloody hell are you here?" Rose spat out as her face flushed with anger.

"You already know that. It was your stupid mistake."

"Mistakes can be fixed!" Rose yelled.

"Darling, do you really want all your little friends to hear you?"

Rose looked around. Half the Great Hall was looking at her.

She caught Hermione's eye. Hermione nodded and stood up. Rose stood up too. Hermione was making her way out and she motioned Rose to follow. Rose nodded in understanding and got out of her seat.

"Where are you going sweet?" Amelia smiled kindly but her eyes still held her evil longing.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Rose said hotly. She walked away fast and caught up with Hermione.

"What's up?" Hermione asked in a calm, concerned voice. It was hard to keep the excitement out of her speech.

"My evil sister is what's up. She's evil."

"So? I've faced evil before. It's not that hard." Hermione smiled weakly and tried to sound optimistic.

"You haven't met her. Try talking to her! She's like…I don't know!"

"She's an evil one all right. I would hate to meet her. I am just loathing her talking about her.

Suddenly Rose remembered a song from a musical she and her aunt had seen in the Muggle World called _Wicked_.

_Let's just say—I loath it all! _

_Ev'ry little trait, however small_

_Makes my very skin begin to crawl_

_With simple utter loathing_

_There's a strange exhilaration_

_In such total detestation_

_It's so pure! So strong!_

_Though I do believe that it can last_

_And I will be loathing_

_Loathing you_

_My whole life long!_

Rose smiled as she remembered that song. It lifted her spirits some. She giggled a bit.

Hermione looked at her him puzzlement. She wasn't even telling a joke and Rose was laughing at her.

"Rose? You ok?

Rose's face turned serious once more. "Yeah, I think I am." Then she looked Hermione straight in the eye. Her eyes were cold as she said, "Look Mione, I'm tired. Think over a bit about Amelia as I will. Night."

Rose strode off towards the Slytherin Common Room and once again left Hermione standing by herself. Well, she wasn't exactly all herself because dinner just got over.

Once again, Hermione sighed and started to walk slowly to the Gryffindor Common Room.

**Slytherin Common Room**

Rose was sitting quietly by the fire reading when two icy cold hands stroked her head. When she looked up she saw her face.

At first she was shocked because she was still in the world on _Gone with the Wind_ but then it all came back to her.

"What do you want?" She asked calmly even though her heart was pounding inside her.

"I wanted to talk. You need to know why I am here." Her self said to her other self.

"I don't want to know why."

"Yes dear, you do. I will tell you. I am here because your evilness needed to become free. You used a little when you played pranks. You've always longed to play in the big kid games like killing Mudbloods."

"Liar!"

"Not at all. My pet, I know everything about you and I know everything you know. Deep down you wanted to kill just like Momsie Dearest and Popsie Dearest."

It was all true. She wanted to be like her parents but that has all changed.

Now the tables turned. Instead of wanting to kill Mudbloods, she wanted to kill her own kin.

"You need to know me better." Amelia's voice was soft but it still held a bitter edge.

"I don't want to know you."

"You're right. You want to know yourself."

Confused by this, Rose angled an eyebrow.

"Sugar sister, you and I are the same. Exactly the same."

"No. You're lying! I am nothing like you!"

"Really?" Now it was Amelia's turn to raise an eyebrow. "I was created by you. I am part of you. I look like you. I am you."

"No!" It couldn't be true. Amelia was evil. Rose was _good?_ Of course she was. Rose was good.

"Think about it dear." Amelia laughed maliciously and disappeared into the darkness of the stairs.

_Think about it._ There was not much to think about. Amelia was evil. Rose was good.

_Think about it. _There was NOTHING to think about.

Right?

_Think about it…_

A/N: Please don't hurt me! I've taken a long time a write this chapter because of TONS of homework and tests. Do teachers enjoy torturing students? I think so. I will try to update faster if I don't have a lot of homework or tests. Till next time folks!


	3. Double Take

Chapter 3:

**Double Take**

**Hogwarts Library**

The next couple of days passed like a blur for Rose and soon it was Sunday. Everyone was buzzing about Rose's twin and Hermione's new style.

As Rose walked into the library students' heads turned. Smiles appeared on faces. A chorus of voices rained down on her.

"Hey Rose! Do you know where your sister is?"

"Do you think I could get a date with Amelia?" (This was disturbing because it came from a girl…)

"What are your plans with your sister tonight? Can I come?"

"Rose, your sister is so cool!"

"You guys look so much alike. It's like you are twins or something." (This comment deserved a sarcastic "No, really?" from Rose and Hermione who was walking with her.)

And there were a few remarks for Hermione too.

"Hey sexy!"

"Looking good!"

"Doing anything tonight?"

"Wanna go to next Hogsmeade trip with me?"

And of course there were some cat calls and whistles but Hermione ignored all of these comments.

"So Hermione, you like your new style?" Rose asked her smiling. After all, Hermione was her creation. It was one of the few talents she had; boys, clothing, hair, make-up, nails, and just being a perfect flirt; all the best qualities of a perfect Muggle girl. No wonder her parents hated her.

"Like it? I love it! How can I ever repay you?" Hermione's eyes glitter with joy. In fact, Hermione seemed to shine with bright happiness.

It was kind of sickening to see someone so happy when Rose was felling so miserable. Curse her stupidity for falling for Draco Malfoy. If she hadn't gone with him none of this would ever had happened.

"Actually, you could kill Amelia, kill my parents, kill the Malfoys and do my Divination homework."

"You're joking, right?"

"Of course." Not. "Except about the homework."

"You are so silly! There's an empty table over there. Let's sit there." Hermione pointed to a table that was not quite empty. Two First Year girls sat doing their homework they waited to the last minute to do; their quills working fast and their tongues hanging out of their mouths.

"Awww! Look how cute they are!" Hermione giggled at the two hard at work witches.

"Umm, er, yeah. Very cute." Rose was not paying attention to them. Instead her eyes were on the doorway.

Amelia and Blaise walked in laughing mischievously and "accidentally" knocking someone's books to the floor, just like Blaise and Rose used to do.

Rose sadly looked down and thought to herself, _I've been replaced. Now the only person who really likes me is a Mudblood, not that there's anything wrong with Hermione. It's just, I want… No! I wish… No! Don't start! Whishing only makes things worse…_

"Rose? I asked you a question." Hermione interrupted her thoughts. "Something wrong?"

"Er, no. What was the question?"

"Do you need help on Divination homework?"

"Sure."

"Ok. It's simple…" Rose stopped listening there. Her eyes averted once more to the doorway. This time no one was there. So she tuned back in to Hermione's gabber.

"Ok, next you need to look up meanings for your dreams…" Hermione didn't look all that interested in helping Rose with her homework, for once.

Why?

"Hermione?" Rose asked.

Startled to be interrupted, Hermione answered, "Yeah?"

"What's eating you? At first you were all happy and now you are all sad. What's up?"

"I was just thinking about Harry. He hasn't been out of the Hospital Wing yet."

"Draco has."

_Draco has…_ Hermione echoed Rose in thought.

"Do you want to go visit him?"

"Draco?"

"No, Harry."

Hermione flashed her a sparkling smile. Her eyes shone like lights and once again, bright happiness glowed in her face. "That would be excellent! Let's go!"

"What about this homework? I haven't started it yet and it's due tomorrow and..."

Rose never got to finish her sentence because Hermione shoved all her papers into one book, grabbed Rose's wrist, and started to flee to the doorway all while Rose was still gathering her papers. She managed to claim some of her things before she was practically dragged out the door by Hermione. All that was left was History of Magic book. Oh well! Who needs it anyway?

**Hospital Wing**

Hermione and Rose weren't the only one to come to pay a visit to Harry.

Ron was also there doing homework and eating some of Harry's candy. It was hard to see him behind the mountains of sweets and Get Well cards. The only thing visible to the teen girls was his fluffy red hair. It looked like the sympathy treats were on fire.

"Ron! What a shock to see you here! It seems like days since I talked to you." Hermione was ecstatic to see him.

"It has been days…" Ron mumbled. He didn't even look up as he spoke. "I have been really busy with homework and visiting Harry. Haven't seen you here a lot though. How come?"

"I was hanging out with Rose and her evil sister. And getting a new look!" Hermione giggled.

Hearing the words "new look", Ron looked up. His ears turned red. Then he started to choke on a Chocolate Frog he was eating. Bits and pieces of chocolate flew everywhere as he pounded on his chest.

Was Hermione for real? She looked…hot. She looked even better than she did for the Yule Ball back in Fourth Year. Man did she look hot!

"Hermione…what happened? You look, er, great!" Ron's face was beet red now.

Hermione blushed and smiled slightly. "Thanks."

Rose looked at Ron. It was completely obvious that he had a HUGE crush on Hermione. But Hermione seemed oblivious to his fancy.

"So, umm, how's Harry?" Rose asked Ron awkwardly.

"Huh? Oh, just dandy. He just fell asleep again."

"Actually, I tried to fall asleep." Harry's grumpy voice startled the young teens.

"Hey Harry! Glad to know you are doing spiffy. I'll be back in later." Rose said as she walked away from Harry and made her way en route for the Slytherin House.

**Slytherin Common Room**

"Amelia! We need to talk. Now! Amelia!" Rose yelled as she stormed into the empty common room.

"Why dearest! You are just the person I wanted to see." Amelia said as she appeared from the stairs of the Boy's Dormitories. "I just had a nice chat with that cutie Draco Malfoy. He is, or was, very much interested in you."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rose's enchanting green eyes met Amelia's venomous green eyes.

"Sweetie Pie, Draco seems to now have taken a fantasy in me. It's quite amusing really. First I take your best friend, leaving you in the charity of a Mudblood."

"Hermione's more than a Mudblood! She's the nicest person I've ever met."

Ignoring Rose's disruption, Amelia continued. "Second, I have stolen your boyfriend. That wasn't that hard. He is such a wishy-washy when it comes to love."

"Draco is a bastard for leaving me in the dungeon! I think I stopped liking him when I heard about that." Rose's face flushed crimson with rage. Oh how she hated Amelia!

"You want to guess my next goal?" Rose stared daggers at her. "No? Well it is an easy guess, but I shall tell you. I plan to..."

Rose never heard what Amelia was about to tell her because Draco came down from the stairs.

"Amelia!" Draco said in a sing-song voice. He wore love struck expression on his face. His eyes looked off to a far away place, almost like her was…

"You put a spell on him! You bitch! Damn you!" Rose spat at her twin.

"Of course. My, such a nasty tongue you have! Oh my, we will just have to fix that." Her voice was full of toxin as she raised her wand.

"I don't want to fight you. Put down your wand!" Rose said cautiously as she raised her own wand.

Amelia laughed and lowered her wand. "You don't have enough guts to fight me. Anyways, I would fight you, but it seems I am going to be late for dinner."

Rose lowered her own wand and looked at her twin once more before going upstairs to the Girl's Dorms.

"Aren't you coming Sugar?" Amelia said in a crackling voice.

Rose stopped mid-step and turned around to face her sister. "No." She started going up again.

She heard Amelia calling Draco pet names as they walked off to the Great Hall.

_It's sick! _Rose thought. _She's treating him like a dog. A pampered toy poodle complete with the freaky hair do and bows._

Rose sighed and got ready for bed. She slipped silently into her bed and pulled the curtains around the bed.

She drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

**Gryffindor Girl's Dormitories**

An ear-shattering scream shattered the silent night.

Hermione shot up from bed, drenched in sweat. Her breathing came ragged and coarse.

"Hermione? Hermione, was that you?"

"Are you alright?"

"What happened?"

Voices crowded Hermione's thoughts so she simply responded, "I'm fine and nothing's wrong. Go back to sleep."

Her roommates mumbled in response and glided back off to sleep.

Hermione, on the other hand, was terrified from her dream:

_Footsteps pounded in the distance. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to run to. She was trapped. But still, she kept running. She didn't know where she was going. All that she knew was that she had to get there fast._

_The dark corridors, forbidding and yet forthcoming, called to her to come closer. Shadows lurked everywhere. Stone walls leaked with green slime and debris. Rats scurried into cracks and crevices. _

_She ran until she came to a dead end._

_She said out loud, "Oh crude!"_

_She looked up at the wall looming before her; too high to scale. _

_The footsteps drew closer as she whirled around to meet her fate. _

_Fog settled around her; wrapping around her like a blanket. Her sight was disrupted by this mysterious fog._

"_Dearly Beloved Sister…Come here... I won't hurt you..." An anomalous voice called through the fog._

_The girl gulped for air, but none came. She was swirling in a world of shadowed light. Colors flashed before her._

_Suddenly everything went black except a beam of light which focused on a dark figure._

_The dark figure came closer and called to her. It stopped short and raised a wand. Slimy words oozed out of its mouth. "Avada Kedava"_

_A green beam of light shot through the darkness._

_The girl blocked it with a counter curse._

_The fight was on._

_It was a bloody battle_

_Soon it drew to a close with the girl on the floor, dripping sweat and blood. She was failing and she knew it. She couldn't win this fight. She was done for._

_She dropped her wand and completely let go of all senses._

_The last thing she saw was a pair of wicked green eyes._

Hermione shivered as she remembered the horror of her dream.

_Who was that girl? _She asked herself. _Why was she running? Who was that dark figure with green eyes?_

Hermione racked her brain for an answer.

Suddenly one came to her. She knew who the dream was about.

"Oh shit!" Hermione said out loud.

**Charms Classroom**

Rose didn't go to breakfast that morning. She didn't go to lunch either. She didn't feel like eating for she had a strange feeling that something was wrong.

_Well of course something is wrong! _She thought to herself. _I have a twin who was created out of me. That's just plain creepy!_

She thought of her stupid mistake and sighed. Why had she decided to go on that foolish quest to make a stupid potion!

Because she was just a stupid girl who acted like a Muggle and was hated by her parents and now more than half of Slytherin.

_Can my life get any worse?_

"Ok class, listen up!" Professor Flitwick's high voice scared half the lethargic class. "I have good news for you all."

The class cheered.

"It is you are going to have a three hundred word essay due tomorrow on what we learned today."

Now the class groaned.

Professor Flitwick walked to his desk and muttered, "Serves them right for not paying any attention in my class!"

Rose was about to lean over to the person sitting next to her and whisper something mean about Professor Flitwick, but stopped midway.

Amelia was sitting next to her smiling her wicked smile.

Of all the people she wanted to see. Oh joy…

"How are you dear sister of mine? Our conversation from last night was disrupted. I thought we could continue it during dinner, but you weren't there. How come?" Her lips twisted into a snarl.

"I wasn't hungry."

"I suppose you weren't hungry at breakfast either. Hmm? Must be pretty hungry."

Rose silently cursed her ever-rumbling stomach.

"Shall we have a nice chat at dinner?"

"No." Rose responded curtly.

"Why ever not?" Her eyes shone with knowledge that she had won the verbal battle between them.

Rose didn't respond to her question.

A bell tolled somewhere in the castle sounding the end of classes for the day.

She gathered up her books and fled from the classroom. She walked straight to the entrance of the Gryffindor Common Room, leaving Amelia and her evil intentions behind.

"Hello dear. So nice to see you again!" The Fat Lady said. The Fat Lady lived in a portrait, which also happened to be the entrance.

"Hi. Have you seen Hermione?" Rose asked. It was kind of weird asking a portrait the whereabouts of someone.

"No I haven't, sorry. But I have seen Ron. He's right behind you."

Rose whirled around to find Ron standing there with his ears slightly pink.

"Hi Ron! Great to see you!" Rose greeted him with more enthusiasm then she had anticipated.

His faced burnt with red. "Er, hi Rose. Haven't talked to you in a while. How've you been?"

"Fine. Have you seen Hermione? I need to talk to her."

"Funny, she needed to talk to you. She was looking for you. She even went by the Slytherin Common Room asking for you. Poor thing. I hope she will make it out alive. Anyway, no I haven't seen her since lunch. Sorry."

"That's ok. Hey wanna help me find her? I could use the company in case my dear sister comes around."

"That, er, would be great."

She dazzled him with a sparkling grin and linked her arm through his.

Now his face was bright red and probably giving off enough heat to warm the room.

Why did he act shy around girls? Curse it!

Together they walked the halls searching for Hermione talking about random things like loofas, peanut butter and wombats.

It never occurred to either one of them that she might be in the library studying. So it was the last place they looked.

And sure enough, there she was, sitting all by herself on the floor with her nose in a book.

"Hiya! We bring news from the outside world!" Rose surprised her and she showed her surprise with a jump.

"Sweet Merlin! You scared me! Oh good, I need to talk to you. Sorry Ron, but could you leave? We need to talk girl-to-girl." Hermione pouted with her bottom lip sticking out slightly.

Ron, clearly think of something way grosser and completely off topic, turned even more red (if that was possible) and nodded.

As soon as he was gone Hermione yanked Rose down on the floor with her.

"Rose, I need to tell you about a dream I had."

"Ok. Was it one where Harry and Ron stalked the isles in a store and sang "On My Own" for Les Miserables? If so, that would scare me too."

"No. I think it was bout well, er, umm, er, you."

"Me? Did _I _sing "On My Own"? Did I have a good voice?"

"No one sang "On My Own". It would be funny to hear Harry and Ron sing, but that isn't what I need to talk about."

"Oh," Rose said slightly disappointed. She always wanted to be in a musical. She had a stupendous voice; at least her aunt told her she did.

"My dream was about you and you died. I think…"

"How can you think I died? I either did or didn't. Which is it?"

"You died!" Hermione shrieked so loud that afterwards a pall filled the library. All eyes stared at her.

Hermione hid her head under her arm and told Rose of her dream.

When she was done, Hermione burst into tears. "I'm so, so sorry!"

Rose pulled her into a hug and stroked her hair. "Shhh. It's ok." She comforted her as she looked over Hermione's shoulder at the bookcase behind them.

Something was out of order.

Something moved.

Rose did a double take to make sure what she saw was what she was thinking.

Yes it was; a pair of gray eyes.

**Dungeons**

"My Lady," a clocked figure bowed. "I have just over heard that one of the witches knows something about the plan.

"I would like to hear everything." A female's malicious voice crackled.

"Everything?"

"Yes."

The cloaked person nodded and told his mistress what he heard.

"Do you want the frizzy haired one disposed of?" He asked figuring his dagger.

"No, this could be used to our advantage."

"As you wish My Lady." He bowed again and left.

"I shall be the one to dispose of both of them." She laughed manically and disappeared.

A/N: Spooky! What's going to happen next? You'll just have to wait and see… Yeah! It took me two days to update! Yeah! I have found a solution to my slow updating skills; write during math class. It looks like you're taking notes. Who needs math anyway? Till next time…


	4. Sweet Dreams

A/N: This chapter is mainly about the dreams of characters. It has to do something that happens later in the story so sorry if it is boring. Some of the dreams are just for plain fun. I'll try to make it interesting for you.

Chapter 4:

**Sweet Dreams**

**Gryffindor Girl's Dorms**

_Footsteps pounded in the distance. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to run to. She was trapped. But still, she kept running. She didn't know where she was going. All that she knew was that she had to get there fast._

_The dark corridors, forbidding and yet forthcoming, called to her to come closer. Shadows lurked everywhere. Stone walls leaked with green slime and debris. Rats scurried into cracks and crevices. _

_She ran until she came to a dead end._

_She said out loud, "Oh crud!"_

_She looked up at the wall looming before her; too high to scale. _

_The footsteps drew closer as she whirled around to meet her fate. _

_Fog settled around her; wrapping around her like a blanket. Her sight was disrupted by this mysterious fog._

"_Dearly Beloved Sister…Come here... I won't hurt you..." An anomalous voice called through the fog._

"_We won't hurt you…if you join us." Another voice called. _

_The girl gulped for air, but none came. She was swirling in a world of shadowed light. Colors flashed before her._

_Suddenly everything went black except a beam of light which focused on two dark figures._

_The dark figures came closer and called to her. Both stopped short and one raised a wand. Slimy words oozed out of its mouth. "Avada Kedavra"_

_A green beam of light shot through the darkness._

_The girl blocked it with a counter curse._

_One of the shadowy figures laughed a sinful laugh then raised it's wand a shouted a curse._

_The girl blocked that one two._

_The fight was on._

_It was a bloody battle._

_Soon it drew to a close with the girl on the floor, dripping sweat and blood. She was failing and she knew it. She couldn't win this fight. She was done for._

_She dropped her wand and completely let go of all senses._

_The last thing she saw was two pairs of eyes; one pair green and the other scarlet._

Hermione woke up in a cold seat with her breathing ragged.

She had that dream again. Only this time it was different; the girl had been killed by two figures, not just one.

Hermione contemplated on the dream.

She had a strong feeling that she knew who one of the dark figures was. She also thought she knew who the girl was.

But who was the other figures with scarlet eyes?

Hermione rolled over in her bed into a sitting position and surveyed the room.

It was dark and her roommates were fast asleep. Lavender was mumbling something about how the planets were aligned just right and that the time would soon be perfect.

_The time was perfect for what? _

Hermione checked the clock. It read 12:03. She still had about five more hours before she could officially get up.

She fell back down on the bed. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

When she woke up again, she checked the clock.

12:17.

She groaned and put her pillow on top of her head.

This was going to be a long night.

**Gryffindor Boy's Dormitories**

_Ron twirled his partner around the ballroom. _

_The ballroom looked strangely like Hogwarts' Great Hall except that it was strung with flowers and other outdoor things._

_He was dressed in fine dark blue dress robes. His red hair was combed to one side. He wore a huge grin. _

_His partner was dressed in light blue dress robes. Her brown hair was pulled into a bun with small ringlets coming off of it. Her smile matched his._

_They danced to strange music that reminded him of the one time his dad brought home bagpipes._

_They twirled and whirled around the ballroom with no worry of running into anyone. _

_The only other people in the room were Harry, Rose, Draco and his little sister Ginny._

_Harry was dancing with Ginny which Ron thought was really odd. His best mate was dancing his little pesky sister. It was really creepy._

_Draco was waltzing with Rose. They didn't make that bad of a match really._

_The song dragged on which seemed like it would go on for forever._

_Finally the song ended and the couples slid off into privet corners._

_Ron led his partner into a nook right below the staircase by the hand._

_They sat down on the ground and beamed at each other for a few minuets._

_Ron worked up the courage and pecked his date on the cheek. _

_She looked up at him with big brown eyes. Then she closed them and locked her hands behind his neck. She pulled him down for a long, passionate kiss._

_When they broke apart she whispered in his ear, "I love you Ron."_

_Ron smiled and whispered back, "I love you too, Hermione."_

_Then he pulled her close for another kiss._

Ron woke up then smiling.

Hermione had kissed him. He blushed at the thought.

Then he thought of something that brought down his spirits. _Hermione doesn't like me anymore than a friend should. I bet she's smitten with Harry. She'll never like me._

He sighed sadly and fell back to sleep.

**Slytherin Boy's Dormitories**

_They came closer and closer. _

_He backed away farther and farther. His tried to breathe, but no breath would come to him. His face and clothes were damp with sweat. He had never been so afraid in his life._

_Malfoy's didn't get scared. They didn't even flinch in the face of evil, like he was doing now._

"_Draco…" One person called to him._

_He gulped and started to run. He tripped in a crack in the stone floor but he caught himself._

_He looked around in the hallway which he was running in. It was all stone and all dark. The only light came from the moonlight in cracks in the wall._

"_Draco dear…" The other person called softly. _

_He made the mistake of looking back. They were a little more than fifteen feet from him and gaining. _

_He gulped once more. He ran harder. His breath came to him like knives. _

_Once again, he tripped. This time he fell._

_The people started laughing at him. Then they shouted curses at him. _

_He did his best to dodge them by rolling on the ground._

_He rolled over and over and over, dodging spells. _

_Suddenly he fell off something that appeared to be a cliff._

_The voices above him laughed harder._

Draco hit his head on his nightstand with a loud _Thwack!_ He moaned and rubbed his head.

A small bump appeared on his head. He reached for his blanket but couldn't find it. Then he realized that he fell out of his bed.

He moaned again and laid down on the floor, to tired and sore to move.

What had he just dreamed about? Why was he running?

He wanted an answer for his questions, but at the same time didn't. He hoped that his dream wasn't some sort of a foresight.

He moaned again and fell asleep on the floor.

**Slytherin Girl's Dorms**

_Rose walked on the stage slowly. _

_The background was painted with what were supposed to be houses. Lights shone out of the "house's" windows on to the floor. _

_Rose was dressed in a large coat, boots, and a totally awesome cap. Her black hair was gone and was replaced by shoulder length curly brown hair._

_She suddenly broke out in song._

"_And now I'm all alone again_

_Nowhere to turn, no one to go to_

_Without a home, without a friend_

_Without a face to say hello to_

_And now the night is near and I can make believe he's here._

_Sometime I walk alone at night when everybody else is sleeping._

_I think of him and then I'm happy with the company I'm keeping.  
The city goes to bed_

_And I can live inside my head._

"_On my own _

_Pretending he's beside me._

_All alone I walk with him till morning_

_Without him_

_I feel his arms around me._

_And when I lose my way I close my eyes_

_And he has found me._

_In the rain the pavement shines like silver_

_All the lights are misty in the river_

_In the darkness the trees are full of starlight_

_And all I see is him and me for ever and forever._

_And I know it's only in my mind_

_That I am talking to myself and not him_

_And although I know that he blind_

_Still I say there's a way for us._

_I love him_

_But when the night is over_

_He is gone; the river's just a river_

_Without him the world around me changes_

_The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers._

_I love him_

_But everyday I'm learning _

_All my life I've only been pretending _

_Without me his world will go on turning_

_A world that's full of happiness that I have never known_

_I love him. _

_I love him._

_I love him, but only on my own."_

_The audience burst into applause and tears. _

_Rose, trying to stay in the character of Eponine, tried hard not to smile._

_The lights dimmed and Rose walked off stage._

_The crowd was still cheering._

_Backstage her fellow theater geeks congratulated her and got ready for the next scene._

_Time passed quickly when you are on stage and soon Les Miserables ended. The crowd gave a standing ovation._

_She got one of the loudest applauses. It seems Eponine was everybody's favorite character._

_Backstage once again, Draco greeted her with a warm kiss. Her fellow theater fanatics oohed and awed. _

_After changing, she and Draco walked out hand and hand. _

_A mob was gathered outside waiting to take her picture and get her autograph._

_Yep, it was good to be Eponine._

Rose didn't want to wake up, but it was time to get ready for classes for the day.

"Rise and shine dear sister of mine." Amelia said quietly in her ear.

_Did Amelia just rhyme?_ Rose opened her eyes to find Amelia's identical green eyes staring at her.

"Go away." Rose mumbled as she turned around.

"Now that's not a nice way to treat your only sister."

"You're not my sister and besides, you're not nice."

"I think you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Tsk tsk." Amelia shook her finger at Rose as she rolled back over. She had the sudden urge to bit her finger off.

"You don't want to be late for breakfast. Your fans will miss you." Rose carked.

"My fans can wait. I want to spend my morning torturing…I mean…visiting my sister." She leaned over and pinched her cheeks like an old granny.

Rose slapped away which caused Amelia to pout and stick out her bottom lip.

"Sissy doesn't like me anymore." She suddenly cracked into a devilish grin. "If that's the way you want to play, fine. I'll just go find my fans."

Rose watched her walk away. She sighed thankfully and got out of bed. She grabbed her robes, and other bathroom necessities, and headed towards the bathroom.

She took a short shower and did a hair drying spell, which was quite useful especially when one was running late, like Rose was now.

She ran to the Great Hall to grab a bit to eat. She hadn't eaten a lot in the last couple of days because she was too afraid to run into Amelia.

Fortunately no one was in the Great Hall except for a few students who slept in late. She recognized one as Ron.

She smiled as she walked over to him. No one would mind if she sat at the Gryffindor table now.

"Good morning Rose. Had a good sleep?" Ron said grumpily.

"I had the best dream but it was rudely interrupted my precious sister." Rose looked straight into Ron's eyes which caused him to blush slightly. "How about you?"

"Same except it wasn't interrupted by my sister."

"What was yours about?" Rose asked eager for conversation.

"You know the usual. I won the World Quidditch Cup." Ron said casually.

Liar.

"How tremendously magnificent." Rose beamed at him.

"What was your dream about?"

Before she could answer, the bells sounded for the start of class. She gave Ron a sorry smile and gathered her things. She waved goodbye as she walked off to class.

**Potions Dungeon**

Rose dozed off, not paying any attention to what Snape was saying. Who needed Potions anyway?

_Once again Rose was on stage singing. This time is was Phantom of the Opera instead of Les Miserables._

_She stood in a graveyard scene and was singing Whishing You Were Somehow Here Again._

"_You were once my one companion…_

_You were all that mattered…_

_You were once a friend and father- then my world was shattered…_

_Whishing you were somehow here again…_

_Whishing you were somehow near…_

_Sometimes it seemed, if I just grieve,_

_Somehow you would be here…_

_Whishing I could hear your voice again…_

_Knowing that I never would…_

_Dreaming of you won't help me to do all that you dreamed I could…_

_Passing bells and sculpted angels,_

_Cold and monumental,_

_Seem, for you,_

_The wrong companions-_

_You were warm and gentle…_

_Too many years fighting back tears…_

_Why can't the past just die…?_

_Whishing you were somehow here again…_

_Knowing we must say goodbye…"_

"Goodbye Miss Williams. If you fall asleep one more time in my class, it shall be goodbye for you." Snape's scratchy voice interrupted her wonderful dream.

Rose woke up fully then.

_If I can't be an actress for real, can't I at least in my dreams?_ Rose sighed and lookeddirectly into Snape's cold eyes. "I am dreadfully sorry I fell asleep Professor Snape. It's just that I was up so late last night doing the homework you assigned up that I didn't get much sleep." Rose smiled triumphantly as Snape flushed with a mix between anger and embarrassment. It was kind of a funny sight.

Snape's face was practically purple as he clentched his fists. Never in all his years of teaching have one of his own House's students sassed back to him. Never. Never ever.

"Ten points from Gryff-, er, Slytherin." The words seemed to hurt him.

All eyes from Slytherin glared at her.

To Rose, all this was really funny. She loved making teachers mad and she didn't really care about anyone from her own House; not even Draco Malfoy.

She had slept most of the class and didn't know what they learned today. Luckily she had made Snape so angry, he forgot to assign homework.

**Great Hall**

The days passed swiftly and soon it was Friday night; the night before a trip to Hogsmeade.

All the students who could go were abuzz with excitement and non-stop chatter.

Dinner was over and students were hanging out, asking on another to Hogsmeade or gossiping about Amelia.

Harry, finally out of the Hospital Wing, talked about how he couldn't wait to get up on a broom again.

Ron was trying to muster the courage to ask Hermione out.

Hermione was staring at someone behind Rose.

As while Rose, who was staring at the ground, listened patiently to Harry's bragging. She was also waiting for the chance to tell everybody of her fantastic dreams.

Meanwhile, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were thinking about who to take to Hogsmeade.

Draco never went without a date and was in need of on because he recently dumped Pansy, an annoyingly pesky girl who wouldn't give him breathing room.

"Who should I take?" Draco asked for the hundredth time.

Once again, the two other boys shrugged.

"Do you know what would be really funny?" Draco asked, mainly to himself as he eyed Hermione who was trying not to meet his gaze.

The thick monkeys shrugged again.

"If I invited Hermione Granger to come with me to Hogsmeade."

Draco's thugs snickered.

He smiled and made his way to Hermione.

"So Mione," Draco said, completely ignoring the other people sitting around her. "You wanna got to Hogsmeade with me?"

Hermione practically choked. "You…and me…?"

Draco just smiled.

Rose was quick to relieve Hermione. "Give us girls a minuet, will you boys?"

The guys grumbled and left.

"Is he insane? Why is he asking me?" Hermione's eyes were large with disbelief.

"He is cute even if he is a complete bastard." Rose suggested. "Come on, I _dare _you to go with him."

Hermione grinned as she agreed.

Rose motioned the boys back to the table.

"We have reached a conclusion." Rose stated.

Hermione blushed.

"Hermione Granger has decided to go with Draco Malfoy to tomorrows Hogsmeade trip." Rose declared in a loud voice that made several heads turn in confusion.

_Hermione and Draco? _Some people thought.

While others were thinking, _has hell frozen over yet?_

Draco gaped in amazement. He never thought Hermione would actually accept his invitation. Inside his stomach did a gymnastic routine.

Hermione's blush deepened.

Ron's spirits died away. _Damn Draco! He beat me to it._

Harry was completely in the dark. His best girl friend was going out with his worst enemy. _Has hell frozen over?_

Rose felt a pang of jealousy. She had liked Draco but gotten over him. Did she still have feelings for him?

"So, er, Hermione," Draco stumbled. "I'll meet you later then."

"Yeah." Hermione looked down at the floor.

"Talk to you later. Bye."

"Er, bye bye."

Hermione watched Draco walk away. Then she turned to Rose and burst into a huge smile.

Rose returned her smile with less enthusiasm, but was still on the slightly large side.

Harry and Ron looked from girl to girl and tried to figure out the secret they were sharing silently.

"Er, Hermione, you tired?" Harry asked breaking the awkward hush.

"No. You and Ron go without me. Goodnight."

The boys said their goodnights and left the two teen girls to gossip their hearts out.

"Oh Sweet Merlin! Draco Malfoy asked me, a Mudblood, out! What happened?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.

"Hell froze over?" Rose suggested.

"Oh stop. You sound as bad as the others. No really, what happened?"

"Draco realized just what a great person you were after all or he was dared to or he was bored or he was desperate or he…"

"You're no help."

"That's why I am here, to confuse the hell out of people."

The two witches smiled again.

Hermione yawned and got up. "I'm getting tired. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, night."

The two girls walked their separate ways to their own Houses.

**Somewhere In Hogwarts**

"Is every as planned?" a dark voice asked.

"Yes My Lady. Soon the planets will be aligned, about four minuets I think, and we will be able to bring back Our Lord." Another voice answered.

"Good. Bring me the potion and my caldron. I will begin the spell."

The minuets ticked by and the two shadowed figures were hunched over a hissing caldron.

"My Lady, it is time."

"Leave my side my faithful servant. Leave me be to call upon Our Dark Lord."

He bowed to his Lady and left her side to a far corner that was more or less hidden from her ever watchful cat eyes.

His Mistress lifted her hands and began to chant.

Soon a heavy mist filled the room and crackly electrical static charged the air.

A loud boom filled the room followed by silence.

The Lady started to fall but her servant caught her and laid her carefully one the ground.

"Did it work?" She asked in a weak voice.

"I don't know, did it?" a third voice entered the room from nowhere.

The Lady smiled wickedly. "My Lord has returned to bring terror on all of Wizard Kind."

All three of them laughed maliciously and disappeared into the night.

A/N: More spookiness! What will happen to Hermione and Draco on their date to Hogsmeade? Who are these mysterious dark figures? What do they want? Why does Rose want to be in a musical so badly? What evil tidings is Amelia up to now? I don't know. I haven't started to write the fifth chapter yet. Lol!

Next chapter is going to be mainly about Hermione and Draco, but Rose will appear in there somewhere. Till next time! Please review!


	5. Moldy Cheese and Low Rise Jeans

Chapter 5:

**Moldy Cheese and Low Rise Jeans**

**Great Hall**

Hermione and Rose did final touches on their outfits before going outside.

Rose was wearing a revealing, tight black shirt and a short, tight black skirt that showed off her perfect legs. Her black hair was French braided and her nails were painted black. She looked like a dark goddess.

Hermione, on the other hand, was a pixie in pink. She wore a midriff-showing pink shirt and blue low rise jeans with a pink sash instead of a belt. Her hair was straightened and one side was held back with a barrette.

They felt good about their appearances and the cat call, whistles and shocked looks on boys' faces confirmed it.

"Ready?" Hermione asked nervously.

"Yeah, but I should be asking you that." Rose answered in a giggle.

"I think I am readying." Hermione said with a last touch at her hair.

"Let's go then."

The two girls, among with a few other students, made their way to the front gate outside of the castle.

When they got there, Draco, Ron, and Harry were nowhere to be found.

Hermione started hyperventilating. Rose had the urge to slap her across her face, but resisted, somehow.

"I think I am making a huge mistake." Hermione managed to sputter out after her episode.

"I think you'll do fine. Just relax and be yourself." Rose put a comforting arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"I don't know who the real me is anymore." She pointed to her make-up which was beautifully done.

Rose winced because she was the one to give Hermione her new look. The pink eyeshadow and the pink lipstick made Hermione look, well, normal.

Rose was hurt but before she could respond, Draco strode into view looking sexier than ever.

He wore a black leather jacket and his blonde hair was slicked back.

Rose heard Hermione gasp as she caught sight of Draco. She could almost feel Hermione's flip-flops, which were performing in her stomach, in her own.

"Hey Draco." Hermione said casually.

"Hey yourself." Draco answered back in a grin.

"Hey both of you, I'm leaving." Rose said annoyed. She turned around to find Ron and Harry standing off a distance scowling at Draco. Ron was red in the ears and Harry's glasses were askew.

As Rose walked away Hermione stood looking at her shoes.

Draco was examining his shirt and picking off imaginary pieces of fluffy lint.

"So Draco, what's new?" Hermione asked, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice.

"Nothing really, just…" Draco began but was cut off by Filch.

"Students! Get in line!" Filch said in a pinched voice. Then he began to read a long list of names of students who had permission to go.

Draco, Hermione, Harry, Rose and Ron went together in silence until they reached the outskirts of the village. There they split up; Ron, Rose and Harry in one group, Draco and Hermione in the other.

Hermione watched as her friends left her with her enemy and her ever-growing fondness for him.

"So, where do you want to go first?" Draco asked, trying to pay no heed to the flips and flops in his stomach.

"Wanna get something to eat or go straight to the sweets?" Hermione asked smiling.

"Sweets then eats."

"I want sugar quills and some sort of sour pills."

"That would be great, except I want eight."

Suddenly Hermione burst into peals of laughter. "Why are we rhyming?"

Draco joined her in the merriment.

Soon both of them fell to the ground in tears from laughing so hard.

As soon as their laughter dried out and their tears dried, Hermione rolled over to face Draco.

Draco was surprised at the vision he saw.

Hermione looked perfectly lovely with her hair messed up a little, her clothing awry and her eyes gleaming with happiness.

She was more than lovely; she was a bewitching goddess and she was his, for now.

They stared at each other for a few minuets, each taking their sweet time.

Hermione's eyes were on his face, while Draco's eyes were distracted to her chest.

_Man! She has nice breasts! _Draco thought to himself. He felt himself start to blush, but stopped himself in time before the color could completely show.

Draco, growing tired of doing nothing, said, "Wanna go to Honeydukes?"

Hermione's smile widened as she answered yes.

Draco stood and helped Hermione to her feet. Then he brushed himself off.

Hermione cleared away beautiful autumn leaves from her hair.

When they were ready, they walked slowly- hands brushing- to the candy shop.

Once inside they found a splendid supply of candies of all sorts.

Hermione decided on Bertie Bots' Every Flavored Beans, Chocolate Frogs and Sugar Quills.

Draco got Chocolate Frogs, Color Changing Creams and True Feeling Truffles.

They paid and decided to skip lunch and eat their candy.

"Where do you want to sit?" Hermione asked eyeing a solitary tree next to a shop. It was so big that no one could see behind it.

Draco, seeing her staring, took up on the chance to please her. "How 'bout that shady tree over there?"

Hermione grinned and stuck out her elbow. "Shall we?"

Draco ginned back. "We shall." He linked his arm through hers.

When they reached the tree they found it deserted so they sat down.

Hermione opened her box of Every Flavored Beans and ate one. She made a face. "Ewww! Moldy Cheese!" She spat it out.

Draco laughed and opened his box of Color Changing Creams and popped one into his mouth. Hermione began to giggle at him. His face turned a blue color.

"You think that's funny? You try one."

She did. Her face turned a yellow shade. Then she picked up the box and read it. "'Color Changing Creams are affected by emotions. Black: hate, Red: embarrassment, Purple: confusion, Pink: flirty, Orange: normal, Yellow, happiness, laughter, Green, envy, Blue: tension, Gray: depression, sadness, White: fright, shy. The colors fade after 30 mins. – 1 hour.'" The she looked up at Draco. "What are you so tense about?"

Draco turned red, then pink. "I don't know. What do you think?"

Hermione became a red, and then she too became pink. "Maybe it's because you're sitting next to your worst enemy's best friend."

"Could be."

"Or it could be that you were thinking about something else." Her face began to turn a gray.

He face became purple as he asked her what was wrong.

She replied, "Nothing. I was just thinking of, never mind."

"Want one?" Draco asked as he poured some of his True Feeling Truffles out.

"No thanks." Hermione said as she picked through her Beans.

"Ok, your loss." Draco popped one in his mouth.

Hermione's face became yellow. "Hey look! It's Harry, Rose and Ron!"

Draco, suddenly unable to control his feelings, looked around to find Hermione's friends rushing over in excitement and began his speech, "Hermione, you are the moon in the season of darkness; you are the fruit of an apple tree; you are the phoenix in circles of flight—"

"That sounds rehearsed." Rose interrupted as she strived to hold a giggle.

"You are the mystical sea." Draco finished.

Hermione turned red, Rose fell to the floor laughing, Draco turned red, Ron looked about to kill Draco and poor Harry was once again in the dark.

"Gees Malfoy, when did you become so poetic?" Rose laughed.

"I think it was sweet. A little strange, but sweet." Hermione rescued Draco out of his humiliation. "Draco, did you even read the label?"

Draco shook his head and picked up the box. He read out loud, "'True Feeling Truffles will make you splurt out your deep feelings. Caution: Make sure you are not in a crowd when you eat the contents of this box. Side effects: Severe embarrassment, annoyance, the urge to take a chainsaw to someone's throat and nausea."

"That sounds promising." Ron spat out dryly. "At least we got a good show."

"Too bad we didn't hear the first act." Rose said still laughing.

Hermione turned yellow and Draco turned a deeper red.

"Guys? What's wrong with you? You're different colors." Harry said, stating the obvious.

"Thank you for that report Captain Obvious. Would you like to conclude with the weather?" Draco said sardonically.

"Stop it you guys." Hermione whined. "Yes Harry, we are different colors because we tried some Color Changing Creams. And that episode you just witnessed is something I like to call True Feeling Truffles. On sale now! Find them at a Honeydukes near you."

Everyone laughed at Hermione's weak joke. Sure, it wasn't that funny, but it lifted the spirits of all.

"So you three, what did you do today?" Draco asked, desperate for a subject change that had nothing to do with Hermione and himself.

Rose, who was eager to share their boring day with the world, did most of the talking.

Twenty minutes passed and Draco's and Hermione's color faded. Now they were back to normal, not orange.

"I need to make another stop at Honeydukes. Wanna come with me Hermione?" Draco asked, impatient to be alone with her again.

"Sure. Bye you guys. I'll meet you back at Hogwarts." Hermione waved goodbye to her friends.

As soon as they were out of sight, Draco grabbed Hermione's wrist and pulled her into a dark alley.

"What is it?" Hermione asked in a concerened voice.

She never found out the answer because what happened next.

Draco wrapped his arms around her back and kissed her softly on the lips.

He started to pull away but Hermione draped her hands around his neck and kissed him back.

He returned her kiss with a long passionate one. Then she kissed him fiercely.

They broke apart when a noise startled them. Hermione's breathing matched his as they peered in the darkness to find the source of the sound.

Hermione jumped as she heard it again, this time it was closer.

"Hello? Anyone there?" Draco asked casually while his heart pounded in his chest.

"Draco…" Hermione whispered as she hugged him and buried her face into his chest.

"Draco…" a sinister voice called out of the black.

A cold wind pickled Hermione's arms.

"Draco…" the spine-chilling voice called softly.

Frozen fingers swept up against Hermione's neck. She screamed into Draco's chest.

"Hermione… when I say… say… so" Draco's breath was uneven. "Run. Forget about me."

"I can't leave you. I'm staying." Hermione said releasing her grip on Draco.

"Draco…" the uncanny, hair-raising voice called again. "Come…"

"Hermione, go now!"

"No, no!"

"Leave me! Promise me, you will not come back for me." Draco's eyes were hard and threatening.

"I…I promise." She turned to go then turned back around. "Draco..."

"Go!" he yelled at her.

She fled.

Draco turned to face his enemy.

"I was waiting for this moment for a while. After you betrayed me, I found it in my best interests to kill you personally." The voice said. It sounded familiar and female.

"Amelia! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"

"Putting a stop to your little romance. I wouldn't want you getting involved with the bait, would I?"

Draco didn't answer, but he ran. He ran like there was no tomorrow- which for him, there likely wasn't going to be a tomorrow.

He ran on and on.

She followed.

He stopped suddenly when he realized he was running in the wrong direction. He had been going deeper into the alley.

Before him loomed a large stone wall with a large stone door.

He tried to open the door and thankfully, it not built properly so it gave away easily.

He stepped inside and found himself in a stone corridor.

It was very dark inside and smelled of death and decay.

Not taking any chances, he ran on.

He noticed that the only light came from cracks in the walls.

"Draco dear…" Amelia's voice echoed in the drafty passageway. "Come out; come out wherever you are…"

Draco tripped on a pothole in the ground. He fell with a loud _kerthunk _on the floor. He screamed in pain.

"There you are pet." Amelia's malevolent smile was seen through the gloom.

"Go away you hell-ridden bitch!" Draco sputtered.

"What is it with bad words in young people's mouths these days? O well, I know only one way to fix that."

Draco's eyes widened in horror as she raised her wand.

"Time to die…"

Amelia shouted curses and Draco, unable to get to his wand, screeched in pain.

The corridor floor was splattered with blood, bits of ash, and Draco Malfoy's body.

**Outskirts of Hogsmeade**

"ROSE!" Hermione shrieked as she spotted her friends by the tree talking.

Hermione ran to them with tears blinding her vision.

"What is it sweetie? Did mean, old Draco dump you?" Rose asked in a motherly voice.

"No time to explain! You all must come at once! Draco is in trouble!"

The threesome took no time for questions, just followed Rose to the dark alley where she left Draco.

"What were you doing in here?" Ron asked disgusted.

"He made me promise not to come back here! I broke it! No he's gone! I should've stayed! I am so daft!" Hermione was in hysterics.

Ron put a comforting around her and stroked her hair. Harry and Rose searched for clues that might lead to Draco's disappearance.

They couldn't find anything because it was too dark to see.

"Hermione, tell me exactly what you remember." Rose urged the half-insane girl.

She told her everything about the last time she saw Draco.

As Rose was listening and Ron was comforting, Harry was exploring deeper into the alley.

He looked hard and found a dead-end.

Well, it wasn't quite a dead-end.

It had a door.

Harry jogged back to his friends and told them of his findings.

"Hey, I think I found something."

"Where?" Rose asked impatiently.

"Down the alley some."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked, not that he doubted his friends, but he didn't want to give Hermione false hope.

"Positively."

"What did you find?" Rose asked.

"I believe it was a door. It was made of stone and in was ajar."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go." Rose chanted.

They walked in silence down the alley, with an occasional sob from Hermione.

"Here it is." Harry pointed to the door.

It looked like an ordinary door.

Rose looked uncertainly at Harry and bit her lip.

"Ready?" Ron asked.

"I think Hermione should stay here with one of us." Rose suggested.

"I'll stay with her." Ron said.

"No! I am going. It is my fault he is in this mess to begin with." Hermione whispered.

"Are you sure you want to? I don't want to raise your hopes." Rose asked hesitantly.

"Yes."

"Ok, it's settled."

"Let's go!" Ron said in a clear voice to show he was not afraid, even though he was about to pee in his pants.

The quartet stepped cautiously into the stone corridor.

"It's so dark and gloomy in here." Rose thought out loud.

"Yeah. I kinda hope he isn't in here." Harry said. "I mean, sure I hate the guy, but Hermione cares about him. I would hate to see her most upset than she is right now."

As if on queue, Hermione burst into another round of fresh tears.

"Good going mate. You made her cry." Ron said angrily.

"Did not."

"Did to."

"Did not."

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Boys! Shut your mouths or you'll wish you were never born." Rose threatened. "Get Hermione, we're going in deeper, all of us."

No one cared to go against what she said when she was this pissed off.

"So, anyone know a good song to pass the time?" Harry said, trying to lighten the mood.

He failed.

All eyes turned daggers upon him.

"Never mind." He muttered. "No one wants a good round of "The Song That Never Ends"."

They walked slowly and carefully. Someone infrequently tripped on a rock, crack or pothole.

There was a strange dripping echo of what might have been water. No one dared to find out for sure.

Harry started to hum "On My Own" out of sheer boredom.

Ron, who was supporting Hermione, couldn't sock him to get him to shut up.

The tension was intense as they clambered on.

Unexpectedly they started chocking on the air. It stank like rotting moldy cheese

"What is that?" Ron asked through a plugged nose.

"I don't know." Rose answered. "Harry, did you remember to change your underwear this morning?"

"Ha ha. Very funny." Harry replied sarcastically.

Hermione gasped.

"What is it?" Ron asked her.

Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she pointed.

Though it was dark, they could very clearly make out an outline of a body.

"No…" Rose started.

"It can't be." Harry finished.

"Draco…" Hermione burst into tears again.

Yes, the body on the blood spackled floor was Draco Malfoy.

There was no doubt in that.

"Hurry, we need to get him to the castle." Rose urged, feeling her own eyes swell with tears.

"She's right." Ron looked sadly at Hermione. "You going to be ok?"

Hermione didn't answer him. Instead she shook with tears and whispered, "Draco…"

**Hospital Wing**

Hermione stroked Draco's hand as he lay in bed silently.

He had been in the Hospital Wing for a week since the accident.

It was now Saturday, October 15. Halloween was in less than 16 days.

For Halloween every year, Fifth Years and older could go to the Hogwarts Annual Costume Dance.

Hermione really want to go with Draco, but in his currant situation, he wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. She had planned a romantic night in her head ever since the end of last year.

"Come on Draco. Get better now."

But he did not get better.

When they found him in the stoned corridor he wasn't breathing and he was bleeding severely.

He isn't bleeding anymore, but his breathing pattern is irregular.

"Hermione." A motherly voice called.

She looked up and saw Madam Pomfrey standing on the other side of the bed.

"Hermione, be a dear and step outside while I give Mr. Malfoy his medicine."

Not wanting to leave him, Hermione took one last sad look at Draco and walked away.

Outside, she yawned and checked her watch. 9:46, she should be heading back to the Gryffindor Tower Room now.

"Nah." She said to herself out loud. She was very tired but that didn't matter at all right now.

"You can come back in now Miss Granger." Madam Pomfrey's voice called from inside.

Hermione walked back in as Madam Pomfrey was adding a very large, pointy needle to a drawer full of sharp silver objects.

Hermione felt faint as she went back to Draco's cot.

Next to the bed was a mountain of candies and Get Well Soon cards.

Hermione kneeled beside the massive pile and took Draco's hand again.

Minutes passed and she grew more tired.

Soon she fell asleep whispering his name.

"Draco…"

**Somewhere in Hogwarts**

"What did you do with the boy?" a sinister voice asked.

His servant replied, "I took care of him just like you asked me to."

"What did you do with the boy?" He asked again.

"I destroyed him at Hogsmeade. Don't worry, no one saw.

"I'm not worried. But I am curious. Where were his little friends?"

"They were away. He told the Mudblood who was with him to run. She was torn to leave him but she obeyed. I found it quite charming."

"Charming, eh? What did you do with the body, if there was one left?"

"I left it there."

"You what?" He was outraged. "Stupid girl! What about the chance of someone finding him?"

"I made sure it was a deserted alley that no one would dare wander into."

"Maybe there's hope for you yet. Leave me to my thoughts. I will summon you if I need you."

"Yes, My Lord." She bowed and left, her green eyes twitching with something.

What was it that she felt? It all new to her.

Was it…?

Yes it was.

For the first time ever, Amelia felt fear.

A/n: Creepy stuff. I intended to make this chapter an amusing one, but it looks like it didn't turn out the way I wanted. Oh well, please review! Thank you!

Also, I won't be able to update soon because I tore a ligament in my ankle (Ouch!) and the time I have at the computer is at night, so by then I am so tired I just want to sleep. But I will be able to write during math! Ha ha!

I also want to thank my three reviewers; Trojan Cheese, Saxifrage and Porcelain Player. You guys rock my socks!

Please review! Till next time.


	6. Waiting, Babbling and Storytelling

A/N: Once again, this is mainly about Hermione. Yeah. Next Chapter will be about Rose, promise.

Also, I don't own anything from any other the story references. (You'll see.)

(I just realized, as I look through my last chapters, that I spell minute like minuet! Haha! I'm smart!)

Here we go…

Chapter 6:

**Waiting, Babbling and Storytelling**

**Gryffindor Girl's Dormitories**

Hermione was cleaning the Girl's Dormitory. She just finished cleaning the Common Room and was going to clean the bathrooms next.

She couldn't keep still. She needed to do something to keep her hands occupied. She had to keep her mind off Draco and all this damn waiting.

So, she cleaned. It was the only thing to do after she finished her, Rose's, Harry's _and _Ron's homework.

"You coming to dinner? Or do you want me to bring you up something so you can be alone?" someone asked behind her.

Hermione jumped and dropped a lamp she was polishing.

The lamp shattered as it hit the ground. Then it automatically repaired itself.

Hermione turned around to find Lavender looking at her worriedly with big, round eyes.

"Er, what did you say?" Hermione asked, biting her bottom lip.

"I asked if you wanted to go dinner. Or did you just want me to bring you something up? So you could be alone, that is. Or do you want company? I could send someone up. I would but I got plans."

"Can you bring me dinner up here?" Lavender nodded. "Oh, that is so terribly sweet of you. You're such a great person."

Lavender flushed with pleasure. She was obviously pleased with Hermione's praise.

Hermione, on the contrary, was slightly confused. Why was she being so complementing when she felt like amputating Lavender's head off with a gentian.

"Would you like me to find you some company? Rose? Harry? Ron? Rose?" Lavender asked amiably.

Hermione's kindness wore off.

"What the bloody hell do you think?" Hermione barked.

Lavender was hurt by Hermione's sudden emotion change. "I don't know. That's why I asked you."

"Oh Merlin! I am so sorry. I didn't mean to explode! Sorry." Hermione was close to tears.

"It's fine…" Lavender's face turned to horror. "Please tell me you and Draco didn't, er, you know. Please tell me that's not it."

Hermione's face wrinkled in disgust. "You think I'm some no good whore?"

"No, I thought, er, never mind… But is it that time of month?"

"No! Ewww! Growdie! Did you have to bring that up?"

"Just had to ask." Lavender said as she threw her hands up helplessly. "What's up then?"

Hermione sighed as she sat down on a freshly made bed, which just happened to be Serena's.

"I don't know. One minuet I feel like taking a chainsaw to someone's head, then the next I feel all happy-go-lucky."

"Is it about Draco?"

Hermione winced. "You heard about that?"

"It's only the latest gossip in the school. Also that a Fifth Year was shagging a Fourth Year. Kinda creepy."

Hermione looked down at her shoes.

"Cheer up lovely Mione," Lavender said as she sat down and put a comforting arm around her. "He'll be alright."

Anger surged through Hermione's veins. "How the bloody hell do you know? Last time I checked on him, he was hardly breathing!"

"I just know."

Hermione sighed and looked at her roommate unconvinced.

Lavender smiled slightly and in attempt to cheer Hermione up, she said, "Let me tell you a story.

"Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, in a land called Oz, lived a happy little Hobbit named Frodo.

"One dark and stormy night, Frodo went shopping in a store called 'Kahoot's Pet and Feed'. While he was there, he ran into his old college buddies Jimena, Catty, Vanessa and Serena.

"Now his buddies were very different from everybody else. For one thing they were goddesses. They each had a matching necklace in the shape of a moon. They called themselves 'The Daughters of the Moon'.

'They decided to get together later to play Three Flies Up (A/n: The cause of my recent injury), but before they could say goodbye, a mysterious voice called to them,

"'I am Glinda the Good Witch. I come to bear greetings and ask for a favor."

"The five friends were confused. Who was this lady who looked like a pink flower? What did she want?

"Suddenly Catty asked, "What do you want?"

"Glinda smiled. "I want you to go and find The Sword of Shannara. Then I want you to take it to a man of the name of Jack Sparrow. Or Captain Jack Sparrow as he likes to be called."

"The friends were still puzzled. "Why?" Vanessa asked.

"Glinda smiled again. "Because I said so."

"'What's in it for us?' Frodo asked.

"Glinda shrugged. "What do you want? A loofa? A Magic Ring? To be set free? Moldy cheese?"

"The friends argued a bit but then decided on loofas and a Magic Ring (for Frodo).

"'Now go my little Munchkinlanders," Glinda said in a motherly voice. "Go and you shall get what you wish."

"So they set off thinking of their soon-to-be loofas and Ring.

"They traveled until they got to a place called 'Happily Ever After'. They were afraid to venture in because the natives there ate clouds and drank sunshine. Not to mention that everything was pink!

"The hurried through Happily Ever After until the came to a town called Sleepy Hallow.

"There they found a man by the name of Rhett Butler, a scallywag and not a gentleman at all. He was so rich that he had a medieval sword collection in his house.

"The cronies asked him if they had a sword called the Sword of Shannara.

"Surprisingly, he did. He told them he would give it to them if they could give him advice on winning Scarlett O'Hara's heart.

"Frodo was not so good in love so he just admired the shiny objects while the girls told him what he needed to know.

"'Do you happen to know a man by the name of Captain Jack Sparrow?" Frodo asked after he successfully knocked over a whole row of daggers.

"'Why yes. He lives in Happily Ever After now. He used to live in the Caribbean, but the life of piracy wasn't for him. Now he's a movie star. I think he played himself in 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Excellent movie. You should go see it.'

"The girls and the Hobbit shuddered at the thought of going back to Happily Ever After with all its pinkness and fluffiness.

"They thanked Rhett and left.

"They trekked on and on for what seemed like days but was only five minuets.

"Suddenly they were blinded by pink and other bright colors.

"They walked in the cheerfulness until the came to a sign that read 'Jack Sparrow's House. Beware: he prefers to be called Captain Jack Sparrow. Get it right."

"'Vamos!' Jimena shouted.

"They walked in silence to Captain Sparrow's house. Serena knocked.

"A man with a black hair answered. 'Yes?'

"'We are supposed to give this to you.' Frodo said as he held out the Sword of Shannara to him.

"'Ooo! What a preeetty sword!' Jack looked at them suspiciously. "Mine!" He grabbed the sword from Frodo.

"Jack swung the sword around a couple of times and threw it into the bushes. The sword landed and broke in two. "Useless sword…"

"'Why did you do that?' Catty asked.

"'Cause I could.' Jack answered as he picked up a glass of rum.

"'Ok.'

"Suddenly, riding in a pumpkin carriage, Glinda appeared. 'Ok, now that you have done that completely unless task, here are you gifts.' She handed the girls' loofas and Frodo a Magic Ring (ring goes on. ring goes off. ring goes on. ring goes off. ring goes on…).

"Jack set down his thing of rum that he had been drinking and went back into the house for something.

"Suddenly, the friends, Glinda and the rum were stepped on by a Giantess. They all died.

"Jack, hearing the noise, came out. He was in shock. "But why is the rum gone?"

"The End!"

Lavender bowed as she finished her story.

"Wow that was too special for words. What the bloody hell did that have to do with anything?" Rose asked while still pondering over Lavender's strange story.

"It didn't."

"It didn't make any sense either."

"It wasn't supposed to make sense. It was just supposed to keep your mind off, er, you know."

Hermione smiled for the first time in a long while. "Thanks."

Suddenly both their stomachs grumbled simultaneously.

"What time is it?" Lavender asked Hermione. Lavender didn't have a watch. Watches were way overrated.

"Oh shit! We're going to miss dinner. There are still five minuets left." Hermione bolted towards the door while dragging Lavender behind her.

**Great Hall**

"Hey Hermione, it's good to see you down here. I thought you would never make it." Harry said happily.

"Yeah, I thought maybe the giant squid gotcha." Ron put in.

"No silly gooses! I was just told the most amazing story by our dear friend Lavender." Hermione smiled at Lavender who was five people down from them.

"What kind of story?" Ron asked.

"A love one. Now shut your ever-talking mouths so I can eat."

Hermione listened as Harry told Ron about a Quidditch play he was thinking of.

"Er, Hermione?" someone asked behind her.

Hermione dropped the last of her mashed potatoes and looked around to find Rose standing behind her.

At least she thought it was Rose.

She looked like death. Her face was paler than usual and her eyes had dark black rings around them. Her arms were covered with bruises.

"Rose? What the hell happened? Did that psychotic bitch do this to you?" Ron roared as he saw Rose.

She nodded meekly.

"Er, Rose and I are going to go to the Hospital Wing to…to…to…" Hermione trailed off as her eyes filled with tears.

"To go visit Draco." Harry finished. "Go ahead. We'll see you later. Bye bye."

"Er, yeah. Bye." Hermione said as she got up and started to walk away with Rose.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rose asked her quietly.

"It's now or never. Hurry before a fresh shed of tears flow from my eyes."

"Ok."

Hermione walked with her head on Rose's shoulder which wasn't that hard because Rose was about and inch or two taller than she was.

"Are you really sure you want to so this?" Rose asked again.

"No, but I have to."

**Hospital Wing**

"Draco…" Hermione wined as she looked over at her limp boyfriend's body.

He looked dead. His skin was too white and pulled to tight. His eyes were sunken in and black.

"Talk about the living dead." Rose cracked softly to herself.

"Shut up!" Hermione looked like she was about to take an ax and chop her head off.

"Ok, ok. Shutting up." Rose made a zipping motion across her mouth.

Hermione turned her attention back to Draco. She took his and in hers.

It was cold.

"Oh Draco, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have left you with Rose's extremely mad bitch of a sister."

"Hey! That's my flesh and blood you're talking about. Literally." Rose put a hand over her heart. "I am deeply hurt."

"You hate her."

"So?"

"So, you hate her."

"So?"

"So, you hate her."

"Oh yeah!"

"When did you get so stupid?"

"I was hanging out with Harry and Ron this afternoon."

"That would explain everything."

"Do you wanna go now?"

Hermione looked over at Draco and kissed his hand. Then she dropped it.

"Sure."

"I'm getting tired anyway."

"You look like a mess. Get more sleep."

They both smiled at each other. They knew it wasn't sleep she needed.

**Gryffindor Girl's Dorms**

Hermione couldn't sleep that night.

Time passed slowly.

Finally Hermione got out of bed and sighed.

She needed to see Draco again.

She pulled off her pajamas and put on her robes. Then she grabbed Harry's invisibility cloak that she hadn't bothered to return.

She made sure no one was awake as she slipped out into the corridors.

Hermione walked quietly.

A strange draft sent shivers up her spine.

She pulled the cloak closer around her.

She arrived at the Hospital Wing unsure what to do. She knew she could go in and sit by Draco but something was telling her not to.

What was it?

Hermione's head was spinning. She took a deep breath to steady herself. Then she carefully opened the door in and walked in.

She stopped and stifled a gasp.

Over Draco's body was Amelia.

"So pet, did you think our Lord would be pleased with you dating the bait?" Amelia smirked.

Draco grunted. He eyes were open slightly.

"Did you think you'd go unpunished? Wrong. You're going to pay."

Draco collapsed against the bed.

Amelia sniffed and stalked out of the Hospital Wing, passing inches away from Hermione.

Hermione left out a sigh of relief and walked over to Draco's bed. She kneeled down next to him and took his hand in her own.

"Draco, don't let that bitch anger you. She's evil. We're your friends, Rose and me. Ron and surprisingly Harry would stand up for you, don't worry.

"I don't know if this is what I really feel but I am going to say it anyway. Draco, I hated you forever. Then I loved you. Right now, I think I love you. Goodbye love." She kissed his hand, then his lips and stood up.

"Goodbye…" Draco gasped.

Hermione smiled and then shuddered.

What did he mean 'goodbye'?

_What did he mean? No! He can't leave me! No, he just can't! _

_Draco…_

A/n: AHHHH! I haven't updated in a while. I am deeply sorry. And I am also sorry I have to leave you with this darn cliff hanger. This was an extremely boring chapter, I know. I just had to put it out there to pass the time. The next chapter is important though, so don't loose faith in me yet.

Ta ta!

P.S. Who should Rose go out with Harry or Ron?

P.S.S. REVIEW!


	7. Letters of Sadness

A/n: Mainly about Rose, Ron and Hermione. I guess I should put Harry in there too…

This chapter is going to be sad. Just thought I should warn you. I also added a little something about Harry's love life to try to lighten the mood.

Chapter 7:

**Letters of Sadness**

**Great Hall**

Rose sat in the Great Hall finishing some Divination homework. It was 6:13 am and it was Saturday, October 29. Two days before Halloween and the Halloween Dance.

Two more days and she _still _didn't have a date.

Sure, many guys asked her out, but she didn't want to have to dance with them the whole night.

Maybe Ron or Harry would ask her…

Rose looked up from her homework as she heard a screeching of an owl.

It was Tranquil, her aunt's owl. Tranquil had soft light brown feathers with white dots here and there.

"What is it girl?" Rose asked the bird as she dropped two envelopes on Rose's lap.

She picked up the top one as Tranquil flew away. It was from her Aunt Galinda.

_Dearest Rose,_

_How are you? I'm sorry to tell you, but an evil force has just been unleashed. I can feel it. _

_They're after someone and I'm afraid it just might happen to be me. They wouldn't go after your parents. After all, they were such fans of You-Know-Who. _

_Actually, the whole family is or was, except for you and me. We are different. That's why I like you so much. _

_I am terribly sorry to hear about your friend-Draco is it? Yes Draco Malfoy. _

_As I sit here writing this, someone is breaking into my house. I can't write much longer, but I can tell you this._

_The answer to what you seek is inside of you and your friends._

_I love you. Good luck with the family._

_Love,_

_Aunt Galinda._

_P.S. - If you are reading this, I am sorry to say that I am no longer on this earth. I have joined your grandparents in Heaven. I hear Them coming upstairs. Know that I always will be with you. _

Rose dropped the letter as her eyes filled with tears. How could her aunt, the only one in her family who actually understood her, be dead?

What was the evil force she talked about? Could it possibly be Amelia? Is she really that powerful?

She wept in her hands and cried. She didn't even bother reading the second letter. She knew it was from the Ministry of Magic explaining to her about her dead aunt.

Right now she didn't care.

How the bloody hell could her aunt be dead? She was so young, only thirty-five.

Galinda was her mother's sister. Their family had been raised to love Muggles and Mudbloods. But that was before her mother, Sapphire, met her father, Vince.

Vince was the oldest of three kids. His family was raised to hate Muggles and the like.

Sapphire was a Hufflepuff and Vince was a Slytherin. How they ended up together Merlin only knows.

They ran into each other at The Three Broomsticks during Seventh Year and from there moved on to a nice snogging session. The next thing anyone knew was that they were eloping.

They met the Malfoy clan on their honeymoon and they introduced Rose's parents to the dark side.

A couple of years passed and they had a daughter named Rose.

Rose was different from her mother and father. She didn't approve of Muggles being tortured deep down but on the outside she could care less. She didn't have the strongest powers when it came to magic, but her Muggle gifts were strong.

Her parents abandoned her when she was seven to go live with her Aunt Galinda in the States.

When Rose was around ten, her aunt began to act strange. She wouldn't eat, sleep or anything. She just whispered about how _He _was going to get her one day.

Then Galinda started cutting herself.

Then the authorities came in and took Rose away to her real parents.

It was a living hell before she got her Hogwarts letter. Rose was so thankful to get away from the abuse, hunger and yelling. Her parents hated her and treated her like a servant.

Galinda and Rose kept in touch by owl and every summer, with permission of course, she was allowed to stay with her aunt.

By Rose's Third Year, her aunt gave up cutting herself (with help from a shrink) and started acting normal. But if she pulled up her sleeves, you could see dark red lines jagging everywhere.

Rose sighed as she thought about her aunt. Then burst into tears. She hadn't even noticed the few students coming to breakfast.

How could she be dead? How?

"Rose? Rose, what's wrong?" Hermione asked as she pulled Rose into a giant hug. Hermione was always an early riser.

Rose couldn't speak, she just kept on crying.

Hermione looked at Rose's homework and saw a letter. It was from Rose's aunt Galinda. Hermione knew she shouldn't but Rose wasn't being any help so, she read the letter.

A knot twisted in Hermione's throat. Then she noticed an unopened envelope.

Hermione picked that one up and tore it open.

She read it.

_Ms. Rose L. Williams:_

_I am sorry to inform you that you aunt, Ms. Galinda R. Christian, has died in a mysterious attack that happened in her home on Friday, October 28 at 11: 11 at night. _

_We have Aurors investigating the scene right now. _

_In her will she wanted you to have everything that belonged to her to be given to you. Her fortune is in savings at Gringotts. When you come to the age of eighteen, you may claim you wealth._

_I am sorry about your lost. I-_

Hermione couldn't read anymore. "Oh Rose! I am so sorry, er, about-"

"Shut the bloody hell up Hermione!" Rose screamed through her tears. She tore out of Hermione's arms and fled from the Great Hall, forgetting her homework and the letters.

She ran to the Astronomy Tower. The sun was rising and the sky was a bright red.

_Like blood…_ Rose broke into a fresh round of tears. She would miss Aunt Galinda like hell. They were practically best friends or sisters.

"Why does this have to happen? To me of all people? Aren't I going through enough right now?" Rose blubbered to herself.

She slammed her back against a wall and slid down. She pulled her knees up and put her arms on top.

That night Rose cried herself to sleep, lost and unable to think clearly.

_Later that day…_

Rose woke up as a clock chimed noon. She had a peaceful dream about being in the musical _Wicked. _She was Glinda, the Good Witch.

Then a thought struck Rose. _Glinda's name before she changed it was Galinda!_

_Aunt Galinda! She's gone…_ "She's gone… forever…and ever…never to return." Rose felt like a water works show. She couldn't stop crying. She never cried _this _much, even when her parents beat her.

Rose looked about the Astronomy Tower as if searching for her aunt. She needed her. Without her, she was lost. She was the one thread that held her sanity.

"Rose? Oh thank Merlin I found you here!" Hermione walked into the Astrology Tower followed by Ron.

Rose looked at her friends. She tried to stand but was too weak.

"Come on Ron. Grab her arm. Carry her if you have to." Hermione ordered Ron.

Rose looked at Ron as he lifted her up and cradled her in his arms. "It'll be fine Rose. Just fine." Ron looked deeply into Rose's green eyes and saw only confusion.

Rose was lost.

Ron blushed when he realized he was staring.

"Oh, hurry up Ron! I'm starving." Hermione said dramatically. "Rose is probably starving too on account that she hadn't eaten breakfast. Aren't you Rose?"

Rose just stared blankly into space.

"Er, right. Come on Ron! Let's go to the Great Hall." Hermione ambled out of the Astrology Tower.

Ron looked at where Hermione left and followed sadly in her footsteps carrying Rose's limp body.

"Can you walk any slower?" Hermione asked impatiently. She stopped and waited for him to catch up.

"Rose may be unusually light but even light loads get heavy after a great distance." Ron replied defensively.

"What book did you quote that from?" Hermione rolled her eyes. "Never mind, we're here."

To prove herself she opened the doors which lead into the Great Hall.

Ron was a bit hurt by Hermione's bitter attitude. Sure she had excuses but still! She didn't have to be so bitchy! Draco was in the Hospital Wing probably going to be moved to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, but who cares about him? Rose's aunt died. If anything, Rose should have a bitchy attitude not Hermione.

Ron sighed and followed Hermione to the Gryffindor Table. They sat down and Ron propped Rose up with a steady arm around her shoulders.

Ron flushed with bliss when Rose laid her head on his shoulder.

He felt superior. Someone actually needed him. And it just so happened that that someone was Rose, someone he cared about almost as much as Hermione. Maybe even the same…

"Rose," Hermione's irritated voice called to the distant girl. "Eat something."

Rose responded by snuggling closer to Ron.

Ron tried to control his delight because he didn't want to take the harshness of Hermione's sharp tongue.

"Come on Rose," Ron begged while stroking her hair. "Eat something, please."

To their surprise, Rose obeyed. She had a few sips of pumpkin juice, a French bread roll and some carrots cooked in honey. It wasn't much but it would last her till dinner.

Rose, suddenly exceptionally tired, fell asleep on Ron's shoulder.

"Er, Hermione?" Ron asked, slightly embarrassed, in a whisper.

Hermione, who was talking to Serena, looked at him angrily. "What?"

"You think I should find someone to bring her to Slytherin?"

Hermione's face softened in concern. "No way! They would kill her, being a "traitor" and all. She should spend the night in our Common Room on a couch." Then she turned her attention back to Serena. "What was I saying? Oh yes, how come all teachers have to…"

Ron sighed as he picked up Rose and carried her to Gryffindor Tower.

**Gryffindor Common Room**

Ron carefully placed Rose's limp, sleeping body down on an overstuffed sofa made out of soft velvet, next to the fireplace.

He looked down at her perfect figure and had the sudden urge to snog her senseless.

What was wrong with him? Didn't he like Hermione?

"No." Ron said to himself. "Hermione's taken."

But Rose wasn't…

"Hermione's what?" a familiar voice asked from behind him.

Ron spun around to find Harry grinning sheepishly coming down the steps of the Boy's Dorms. "Why if it isn't Harry Potter! Where were you _all _day long?"

Before Harry could answer, Christina Hayes came from behind Harry. Both of their clothes were askew.

"Harry? Christina? We you…?" Ron's mouth opened in a gasp. "All day?"

The two lovers both turned red with embarrassment.

Then Ron burst into peals of laughter.

"What's so bloody funny?" Christina asked trying to change the subject.

Ron covered his mouth and looked at Rose. She was still sleeping.

He let out a sigh of relief before telling Christina, "I just never thought- you…and Harry." More laughter. "I'm sorry! It's just too bloody weird."

"Shut it." Harry said softly while looking at his shoes.

"Sorry mate. It _is _weird. I just caught you two after a serious snogging session or Merlin-knows-what and I don't know."

"SHUT THE FU-" Christina started to say but was interrupted by Rose.

Rose sat up and started talking to herself, oblivious to everything around her.

"So cold… I'm so cold. Auntie Galinda. Your dead… so cold…" Rose's eyes wandered as they looked blankly at all that they say.

Ron sat down next to Rose and put his arm around her. "Rose, what's wrong?"

Rose shuddered under his touch and moved away. "So cold… He did it. Amelia too…"

"Rose, you're not making any sense. What about Amelia? What's so cold? Who's He and what did He do?"

"So cold…" Rose burst into tears and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck.

"I give up. Rose, whatever it is, you can tell me."

"Or me." Christina offered.

Harry nodded too but Rose didn't hear or see them.

She turned her eyes up to Ron's face. "She's gone and never coming back. Ever!" She hugged Ron tighter and cried louder.

"Er, Ron. What's eating her?" Harry asked.

"Her Aunt Glenda, no Galinda was killed and no one knows anything."

"That's not good."

"Oh stop being such a prat Harry! Obviously it's not good!" Christina was flooded with rage and overcome by sudden sadness. She didn't even like Rose and she felt sorry for her. "Harry, let's leave her alone."

"But…" Christina grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him out of the Common Room.

Ron looked down at Rose who was still weeping loudly. "Shhh. It'll be alright." He stroked her hair absentmindedly until she stopped crying.

She was sleeping.

He tried to move, but she gripped tighter to him. He sighed and leaned back on the couch. A rustling of paper startled him.

Ron stuck his hand in between the cushions found a piece of paper no bigger than the width of his wrist.

He stared at it for a few minutes before reading it.

_Tell her that He's back and He's here. Also tell her I'm here to accomplish what she was supposed to do._

_What the bloody hell was that? _Ron asked himself.

Ron looked at Rose as if she would be able to give him the answer. He gazed peacefully at her sleeping body. Her breath came in uneven gulps and an occasional sob.

He sighed and laid his head on top of hers. He was soon fast asleep.

**Gryffindor Girl's Dormitories**

Hermione woke in a cold sweat. She just had an awful dream.

_A lovely, young woman sat in a bedroom mending a cloak. She had raven-black hair and mischievous green eyes. She looked about in her mid-thirties._

_She checked the clock. It read 10:56. _

_She sighed and continued to mend._

_Suddenly, an ear piercing scream filled the air. _

_She jumped and threw down her mending. She ran to a window and looked out._

_A group of dark figures were blasting curses at a Muggle woman._

"_Oh shit." The green eyed woman said to herself. She ran over to her desk and got out a piece of parchment. She searched violently for a quill and ink. She found them and quickly wrote a letter._

_As she was writing, a loud boom sounded from below. Someone was breaking into her house._

_The woman bit her lip in frustration and finished her letter. She called over an owl as she stuffed the letter into an envelope. She sealed it and wrote an address on it but no return address. She handed it to the owl who grabbed it with a claw._

_She stroked the bird and kissed its soft feathers. "Go bring this to Rose. Don't bother coming back." Her voice was like a flute and filled the depressing room with a bit of cheer._

_The bird pecked her cheek and didn't go._

"_Oh for the love of Merlin! Tranquil, you're going to give this to Rose and never come back. Go!" She gave the owl one last kiss before it flew away and landed outside the window._

_The black-haired woman spun around as she heard voices coming up the stairs. She gulped and looked at the clock. 11:09._

_She clenched her left fist and with her right hand she pulled out her wand._

_Voices and evil laugher were right outside her door._

_Slowly the handle turned and the door opened. Inside stepped a duplicate of Rose._

_The woman gasped. "Rose?"_

_The replica of Rose smiled wickedly. "Not quite…"_

_Others stepped into the room too but they all wore masks._

_The woman stifled a gasp. They were Death Eaters… How…?_

"_Avada Kedavra!" the Death Eaters shrieked at once. _

_A green bolt of light shot out of the darkness and hit her._

_She gasped and then let out a cry of pain. _

_The woman fell to the floor and her wand rolled uselessly away from her._

_She took two minutes to die. Two very painful minutes._

_Outside her window, Tranquil watched in horror as she flew away into the night sky._

"What is with these wacky dreams?" Hermione asked herself softly while she rubbed her head.

The dawn light was beginning to peak inside the windows. It cast out an odd pinkish light and made everything look a shade of pink.

Hermione sighed and threw back the curtains around her bed, blinded by the cherry pinkness of the room. For a second, it looked a deep red…like blood…

Hermione shook her head and got out a blue t-shirt and a blue jean skirt that came to a few inches above her knees when she put it on. She made her way to the bathroom and got to the showers. She pulled off her nightclothes angrily and threw them aside. She turned on the faucet for hot water and shrieked. It was ice cold! Someone was messing with the water lines again. Whoever it was, she was going to find them and cast a few jinxes their way…

Finally the water heated up.

Hermione washed her body quickly then took time and lathered lavender-smelling shampoo in her hair.

She let the hot water hit her body for a couple more minutes before shutting off the water.

She stepped out carefully and dried herself off with a pink fluffy towel.

_What was with pink this morning?_ Hermione thought to herself. She shook her head smiling and dressed quickly. She was about to leave the showers when the fogged up mirrors caught her eye. There was something written on it.

_Beware. He lives within._

"What…?" Hermione gasped she backed out the door and crashed into something behind her.

"Whoa! Watch it girl!" Lavender's voice giggled behind her. Hermione turned around and smiled weakly to her friend.

"Sorry, I'm just – er – preoccupied this morning." Hermione said apologizing.

"Hey, no harm done." Lavender twirled around to prove herself right. "So, been asked to the dance by anyone yet?" Immediately regretted her words and bit her lip. "Sorry."

Hermione felt a knot swell into her throat. She blinked feverishly at the tears forming in her eyes. "No, it's fine. I haven't been asked yet, but I'm sure Harry or Ron will be willing to take me."

"Try Harry. Ron's – er – busy at the moment. He's seems to have taken a fancy in someone – let's just say… special."

"What do you mean?" Lavender smiled and just shook her head. She started to go back to the Seventh Year Dorms.

Hermione stood thinking for a second then started to catch up to her friend. "Wait! What do you mean by "special"? How special?"

Lavender motioned Hermione to go down the stairs that led into the Common Room. Hermione raised an eyebrow but Lavender just kept smiling.

Hermione, peeved that her friend wouldn't tell her something, made her way down into the Common Room.

She looked around to find only a couple nestled up together on a couch by the nonexistent fire. She turned to find Lavender grinning foolishly behind her. Hermione raised her eyebrows and gave her a funny look. Lavender pointed to the couple and motioned Hermione to step closer.

Hermione did so and her eyes grew wide. "RON WEASLEY! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THI—" She got cut off.

"Geez Hermione. You don't have to yell so damn loud." Ron grumbled and he tried to move but Rose was clinging onto him too tightly. "It wasn't my fault. She was practically dead and in need of comfort. I couldn't move."

Rose yawned and looked at everyone in the room. Then she looked down at her arm, which were wrapped around Ron's torso, and let go, embarrassed. "Sorry." She muttered.

Lavender grinned more foolishly and put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Come on, let's leave them alone and get some breakfast. There'll be more time to yell at him later."

Before Hermione could protest, Lavender grabbed her arm and headed out the portrait hole.

"Sorry." Rose said again.

"No problem. Just next time — never mind. You should go get ready. Go and do whatever you need to do. I'll be in front of the Fat Lady in about twenty minutes. Enough time?"

She nodded halfheartedly. Her thoughts were still on her aunt. _No, I won't think about her. She's gone. She wouldn't want me crying over her. What was it she used to say? Oh yeah! "No use crying over spilt milk." I really don't see how that works here…_

Rose hurried up to the Slytherin Tower. When she got there, she avoided all the eyes glaring at her. She went upstairs to the Girl's bathroom and took a quick shower. When she was done, her eye caught the mirror.

_Beware. He's here and waiting for another kill…_

Rose was suddenly frightened but shook the emotion away. This was some stupid prank from some stupid person.

Rose hurried and finished getting ready. She practically ran all the way to Gryffindor Tower.

She stopped outside the Fat Lady.

"Hello dear." The Fat Lady greeted her.

"Uh, hi."

"Password — wait a minute, you're a Slytherin. What are you doing here?" the Fat Lady sneered.

Rose pulled a fake surprised look. "Really? I'm a Slytherin? No way!"

The Fat Lady sniffed.

"It's ok. She's with me." Ron's head poked from behind the portrait.

"Of course dear. Now be gone." The Fat Lady pointed to the corridor with a nasty smile. Then she said to herself, "A Slytherin and a Gryffindor? What about those "unwritten" rules those kids always blab about? What is the world coming to?" She shook her head sadly.

Rose hung her head sadly as they walked away. Ron eyed her suspiciously. "What's wrong?"

Rose looked at him, teary-eyed. She wiped the tears angrily away from her green eyes. "Nothing's wrong."

"Really? You could've fooled me."

"You're so bloody thick that everything could've fooled you."

"Really now?"

"Yes."

Ron put his hand to his heart. "Miss Williams, it seems you have wounded me." He did a slight bow.

That made Rose giggle. "Well Mr. Weasley, I am afraid my poor little heart cannot take anymore of your flirts. They make my poor little heart flutter."

"I must have misplaced my manners. Forgive me, my dear Miss Williams?" He bowed again.

"Stop talking like that and yeah, I'll forgive you."

Ron smirked. Rose matched his smirk with complete accuracy. They both ruptured into a series of laughter and an occasional snort.

They got to the tall wooden doors which lead into the Hall when Ron grabbed Rose's hand. This act made both of them blush. Ron dropped her hand.

"Er — Rose I was a – er – would—Blast it! Never mind." Ron's face became redder.

"What is it Ron? Tell me!"

"Well, would you like to go to the Costume Dance with me?" he blurted. "You don't have to."

"Well, maybe I want to." A smile started to creep in the corners of his mouth. "Yes Ron, I will go with you to the Costume Dance."

Ron beamed. "Terrific." He clasped his hand around hers and together they walked into the Great Hall.

**Great Hall**

Hermione kept checking at the staff table for Madam Pomfrey. She wasn't there. That meant Draco was still in the Hospital Wing.

She grinned to herself. _Draco hadn't been moved to St. Mungo's after all! He must be getting better! Yes!_

Hermione didn't feel like eating anymore. She shoved her food away and got up. A few people at her table had cocked eyebrows but none of them said anything. They were too afraid of the sharp tongue she had acquired.

Hermione walked outside the Hall and made her way towards the Hospital Wing. When she got there, she noticed people carrying someone and a stretcher. Madam Pomfrey was wiping her eyes and whispering to herself. "In all my years. This kinda of thing happened only a few times. It was mainly during Sirius and James's time. In all my years…"

Hermione stared wide eyed at Madam Pomfrey for a minute then fixed her eyes upon the stretcher.

The person was covered with a white cloth. A hand was hanging over the side of it. Hermione knew that hand from holding it when he was in the Hospital Wing.

It was Draco Malfoy's.

Hermione stifled a scream by clamping her hand over her mouth. _This isn't him. You're just mistaken. This isn't Draco Malfoy. Draco's inside changing. He's going to come outside in about two minutes and tell me everything's all right. Then he'll ask me to the Halloween Costume Dance and I'll say yes. We'll go together. He'll be a king and I'll be his queen. We'll have the perfect night. Afterwards we'll snog each other senseless…_

_Oh God! This couldn't be Draco! It just couldn't._

By thins time Madam Pomfrey caught site of Hermione. She pulled her into a great bear hug and stroked her hair.

"I'm so sorry. I did everything I could." Madam Pomfrey's face was strained.

Hermione stared at her in disbelief. "He's n…n…not…"

"Holy Heavens High Above! No dear girl. He is not dead. Or at least he isn't yet… Oh Lord! Miss Granger, I am so sorry." She let go of Hermione and stared to walk away. "I must go write his parents." She called over her shoulder.

A single tear cascaded down Hermione cheek. Many more followed suit. "Oh shit! This is all my bloody fault." She looked longingly after the stretcher as it was being carried away. "This cannot be happening!"

"What's all the ruckus?" Hermione spun around, wiping away her tears, to find Ron and Rose walking towards her.

"He's being moved! He's almost dead. Oh damn! It's all my fault! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, SHIT!"

"Wow Hermione, in all my years of being your friend, I've never heard you cuss so much." Ron said weakly trying to sidetrack her. His attempt was unsuccessful.

"You!" she turned to Ron. "YOU, BLOODY I'M-SO-POOR-I-CAN'T-EVEN-PAY-FOR-MY-OWN-TREATS-ON-THE-TRAIN BOY, SHOUT THE HELL UP! I CAN CUSS ANY DAMN MINUTE IF I WANT TO! WHAT ARE YOU? MY MOTHER? GO TO HELL!"

"Please Hermione, be fair." Rose pleaded.

"AND YOU!" Hermione pointed a finger at Rose. "YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE THIS YOU. I-HAVE-A-BITCH-OF-A-SISTER-AND-SHE'S-NOT-EVEN-MY-SISTER-CAUSE-SHE'S-KINDA-A-POTION-GONE-WRONG, DON"T EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S LIKE HAVING SOMEONE CLOSE DIE. Oh Merlin! Rose I'm sorry! It just came out."

Rose was in tears. Hermione was in tears. Ron was standing between them confused.

Ron looked up and saw Harry coming down the corridor arm-in-arm with Christina. "Oy, mate! What did you do to make them both cry like that?" Harry laughed and Christina grinned.

"I didn't do anything. Draco—" Ron began but was cut off by Hermione's cries that seemed to be getting louder.

"Stop being such prats. Can't you see they're in emotional turmoil?" Christina spat at the boys in disgust before pulling Hermione and Rose into a lung-squeezing embrace. "Come girls. Let's leave these to pricks to themselves so they can jinx each other."

Hermione, Rose and Christina walked away towards a bench several hundred yards down the corridor.

Harry turned to Ron. "What was that about?"

Ron sighed and answered, "I think Draco is either dead or at St. Mungo's. I thought you knew about Rose. Guess not. Anyway, her aunt died. She still hasn't gotten over it."

"She just found out yesterday, mate. Give her time. She also will need some love and comfort. As for Hermione, she's so smitten with Draco it's sick. He's my worst enemy and she's my best fried next to you. She'll need time and I think she'll want only the comfort of other females. That leaves us out."

"Gees Harry, since when did you become an expert on women?"

Harry grinned foolishly. "Ever since I knew you."

"Hey, are you calling me a woman?" Ron's jaw dropped.

Harry's smile broadened and he turned away from Ron and walk away.

Ron stood in puzzlement for a minute then he ran to catch up to Harry. "Are you?"

A/N: This chapter is depressing. Next chapter will be worse, promise. For those of you worried about Draco, he he, can't tell you anything.

I have to go (My dad's taking my brother and me out to dinner. Yummy!) or I would write more. Yikes! Dad's yelling! Toddles!

Please review!


	8. Trick or Treat

A/N: Just to let you know, this is going to be another depressing chapter. Please enjoy it all the same. I'll start you off with a somewhat happy beginning.

Chapter 8:

**Trick or Treat**

**Slytherin Common Room**

Rose was curled up on a couch near the fire reading _Heir Apparent_ by Vivian Vande Velde. She was trying to get her mind off her aunt and Draco.

It was working, so far. She was lost in the world of _Heir Apparent_ and didn't notice Amelia come in.

"What are you doing, dear sister?" Amelia tore _Heir Apparent _from Rose's hands and read out loud, " 'I can smell the ghosts you brought with you." Uldemar said. "I can use my scrying glass to find people or other living creatures. I can transform my shape, and I can reanimate the dead."

'"Reanimate the dead?" Finally this was sounding like good news. "You mean you can bring back our men that were killed during attack?"

'Uldemar was nodding, but Orielle said— '" Amelia stopped reading. She scrunched up her nose. "You read this? What reading level is this? Never mind. Don't bother answering." She threw the book into the fireplace.

Rose's eyes prickled with tears. "What did you just do?" I had a feeling if Vivian Vande Velde was here, she would burst into tears too.

"I was simply doing you a favor. You need to pay more attention to your surroundings than in books. Just thought I should warn you."

"I don't need your warnings."

"Oh yes you do. B.T.W.—"

"'B.T.W.'? What is that crap?" It was Rose's turn to wrinkle up her nose.

"It's some new lingo I heard some Muggles using. I thought it sounded — cute — so I used it. It means 'by the way'."

"How lame."

"Speaking of lame. Are you going to the Dance?"

"One: what does that have to do with lame? And two: why should I tell you?"

"One: cause I said so. And two: because I'm your sister. Aren't sisters supposed to share their secrets and other things with each other?"

"One: you're not my sister. You were a spell gone wrong. You are also a psychotic bitch. And two: there is no two."

"Silly goose." She rumpled Rose's hair with her hand. "I would like to stay and chat more with you but I have — planning to take care of." Amelia laughed as she left.

Rose stared at her book burning in the fire and wiped away the tear that was sliding slowly down her cheek. She shook her head sadly and whispered softly, "Why does she have to make my life a living nightmare?"

Somewhere she thought she heard a voice say, "You think you're in a nightmare now? Just wait. You'll have your nightmare soon enough."

Rose shook her head again and continued to stare into the fire.

**Gryffindor Common Room**

Hermione kept checking the clock on the mantle. 7:56.

She still had an hour and four minutes before she could say she was tired and avoid suspicion.

She picked absentmindedly at the thread of the red velvet couch she was sitting on. Christina was babbling about how great Harry is and how lucky she was to be his best friend. Useless babbling that didn't get Hermione's mind off Draco.

"Oh, Hermione, I wish I was you. You've known and been friends with Harry forever. You're so lucky!" Christina gushed on and on about Harry. It was quite sickening really.

Hermione looked about to see if anyone else in the Common Room would come and save her from Christina's infinite blather. Finally she snapped. "Christina, I appreciate you trying to get my mind off Draco, but it isn't working. I think I'll do a few adjustments on my costume tomorrow then go to bed."

"You're actually going? Harry thought you wouldn't. Ooo, what are you going to wear? I'm wearing a fawn colored dress with rosebuds embroidered into it. I am going to be a forest maiden. My hair…"

Hermione grunted and walked up the stairs to the Girl's dorms with Christina following in endless jabber.

Hermione opened her trunk and picked out her costume. It was a dark blue, almost black, gown with tiny crystal-like gems sewn into it to make it look like the night sky. It had a modest neckline. It was sleeveless but she would wear matching dark blue gloves. The skirt was slightly puffy with a thin layer of see-through blue silky material over the main skirt.

It was a perfect dress for the perfect night. She was going to forget about Draco and have fun.

_I hope... Is it just me or did the room just become quiet? _ Hermione thought to herself. Hermione felt the fabric of her dress once more before putting it away. She turned to find Christina gone.

No wonder it was silent.

Hermione smiled sadly and got ready for bed. She didn't care what time it was. She was damn tired, frustrated, confused, miserable, troubled…

**Slytherin Common Room**

Rose was still sitting, staring at the fire, at 10:03. Everybody else was either asleep or snogging each other's brains out. But Rose sat and stared all alone.

Rose was supposed to be happy. She was asked to the Costume Dance with a guy she fancied, she had a beautiful gown, Amelia hadn't bugged her in hours and she had a new book, _The Thief Lord _by Cornelia Funke. She was happy right? Yeah right.

"I miss you Auntie Galinda. Why did you have to leave me? You were the only one who actually loved me. Why did you have to go?" she was no one. But she waited for an answer all the same.

Nothing.

Rose sighed and decided to turn in for the night. She wasn't tired but who couldn't use a little beauty sleep?

She made her way to the Girl's dorms and got ready for bed. She went straight into a dreamless slumber.

**Somewhere Over Yonder in Hogwarts**

Amelia paced the empty room. It was dark and dirty. The room was filled with spiders and cobwebs and dust. The furniture consisted of a broken table and a moth-eaten rug. There was also a glass vase of some sorts in a corner. It was a dump.

Amelia sighed with impatient fear. She didn't want to upset Him. She had done everything He has asked of her. She had attacked and most likely killed Draco. She helped kill Rose's aunt. What more did He want from her?

Suddenly He came out of nowhere.

"My dear Amelia. Are you ready for your Mark?" His sinister voice echoed in the room. His scarlet eyes glowed in the darkness.

Amelia took a deep breath before answering. "Yes My Lord. I am ready to receive the Dark Mark."

"You know I don't just let anybody become a Death Eater. I have to trust them. Can I trust you?"

"You can trust me My Lord." _But can I trust you?_

"Good. Now let us begin."

Amelia braced herself for the oncoming pain. When it came it was worse than she had anticipated. It was hot, cold, soft, hard, peaceful, and chaotic and everything all at once.

Amelia screamed. It was so loud and piercing, that is shattered the glass vase.

Her Lord laughed at her pain. "Now if you are quite done, I have another assignment for you. Well, for all my Death Eaters."

"What is it?" Amelia winced. The pain in her arm was great.

"I want you to attack."

Amelia smirked. "Anyone in particular?"

"As many families with Mudbloods in them as you like."

Amelia smirked again. "Done."

**Slytherin Girl's Dormitories**

Rose woke up refreshed and ready to conquer the world, or just breakfast. She sighed happily as she got out of bed and gathered her shower things. She headed merrily to the bathroom singing "Barbie Girl" from some random band named Aqua.

She turned on the shower and let the cold water stream onto her body. Slowly the water became warm. Rose changed her song to "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished" as she was loofaing her body.

When Rose finished, she did a quick Drying spell and got changed into a tight dark red top that showed her belly and had a low enough neckline so the very top of her breasts peaked at the top. She also changed into a black skirt that came just below her knees.

She quickly put her hair in two plaits and did her make-up.

She looked good and had a good attitude. She felt like she could kiss the next person she passed.

At least that was how she felt be fore she saw the mirror.

It was all steamy from her shower and had a message written on it.

_Sadness lurks in a moment of cheer. Expect some unexpected visitors tonight._

Rose couldn't even begin to guess what it meant. What kind of visitors? Was that a good or a bad thing?

Rose thought about the message as she went down to breakfast.

When she got to the Great Hall she noticed that everybody was carefree and hyper.

_Oh yeah! No classes! Duh! It's Halloween. Wow, I'm smart. _ Rose shook her head as she made her way to Slytherin Table.

She got a few evil stares and a few "House Traitor, but other than that, everyone was nice to her. Amelia wasn't even there. It was a nice meal.

Over at the Gryffindor Table, things were very cheerful and perky.

Hermione was surprising everyone by being an energetic, talkative, well, "normal" girl. Complete with all the, "And, like, he was, like, oh my gosh!" and "Did you see what she was wearing? I can't believe it. Poor Abbie. She must be so poor she has to find clothes out of a dumpster." Hermione was scaring people, especially Ron and Harry.

"What is she doing?" Ron whispered to Harry in between bites of eggs. "It's like she's being a normal stuck up snob."

"I know. I think she's trying to get her mind off Draco or she's PMSing. What's your guess?" Harry whispered back.

Ron shrugged. "You're the woman expert."

"Yeah, but you're they woman."

"Hey!" Ron slapped Harry's arm.

Harry rolled his eyes. "So like a woman." Then he got up. "Hey Ron, I'm going to go talk to Christina right now. I forgot to ask her to the Dance tonight. See you."

"Fwee oot." Ron said during a mouthful of eggs. He swallowed and turned to Hermione. "So Hermione, what's up?"

"Whatever do you mean?" Hermione batted her eyes.

"That's just it. You're acting different."

"Are you sure you're not the one acting different? Anyways, what's wrong with acting different?" Hermione was getting angry now.

"Er, nothing. I'm just concerned about you."

"Well, you can keep your concerns to yourself Mr. I'm-so-sympathetic-but-I-really-am-just-pathetic." Hermione got up and stormed out the Hall.

"Er, never mind." Yep, defiantly PMS.

**Slytherin Girl's Dorms**

After a morning of happiness, Rose flopped down on her bed and pulled out her book, _The Thief Lord,_ and flipped to the page where she stopped. She lost herself in the fantasy world. She didn't even see Blaise come upstairs until she pulled the book out of Rose's hands.

"Hey! What was that for?" Rose grabbed back her book and sat up on her bed.

"Aren't you late for decorating? It's 2:34. You should've been at the Great Hall a half-hour ago. Hurry! They're looking for you. They sent me to come up and look for you and now that I'm here I am to drag you down." True to her word, Blaise grabbed Rose's arm and yanked her out of bed.

Rose let out a shriek as she was dragged down stairs, door, and corridors until they reached the Great Hall.

Blaise helped Rose stand up. The Hall was already beautiful. The teachers had cast a charm to make the ceiling look like the night sky, complete with an ashen moon and stars.

The walls needed some help though. They were covered with fake cobwebs and fake spiders.

Rose sighed and took out her wand. She added broken windows and scratch marks (that could be repaired of course) to make it look a bit like a hunted house.

Soon she was ordered to do the lighting. Rose smiled. Charms was not her strongest subject but she was determined to try anyway.

After a few failed attempts and a small fire, Rose managed to put soon light in the Hall with jack-o-lanterns that were in each corner. She also survived making the moon and stars a bit brighter so most of the light came from them.

When the students were all done decorating, it was 3:58. They all let out shouts of joy and raced back to their Houses to get ready.

Rose was one of the first to arrive back in the Girl's Dorms and quickly got out her costume.

For the dance, Rose was going to be Scarlett O'Hara from _Gone with the Wind. _ She had an emerald silk dress that had a semi-low neckline and a wide, pooffy skirt. She had a bonnet with an emerald green ribbon on it. She was going to wear her hair in tight ringlets. And, of course, she was going to wear a corset.

Rose took her time getting ready. When she was done it was 5:23. The Dance started at 5:30. She had time to check herself in the mirror and do late minute fixes on her dress.

Rose smiled at her reflection and turned to find Blaise, dressed up like an Indian, staring at her in awe.

"Rose, you look like the person of the cover of that huge book you read. What's her name?"

"Scarlett O'Hara."

"Well, Miss Scarlett O'Hara, want to walk down together?"

"Sorry, I can't. I'm meeting Ron." Rose gave her a sorry smile.

"You mean the Muggle lover?" Blaise turned her nose up in disgust. "Why are you hanging out with those Muggle loving prats anyway?"

"Because we stopped being friends ever since my dear sister came."

"Oh, yeah." Blaise hung her head sadly.

"Speaking of the bitch, where is she anyway?"

"I don't know. She said she had some 'business' to attend to."

"Oh, well, I'll be seeing you."

Rose gave a short wave to her sad ex-friend and walked to the outside of Gryffindor Tower.

She found the Fat Lady arguing with a Fourth Year on his way out.

"You should be careful! I don't want anymore — hold on a minute dear — password?"

"I'm waiting for someone." Rose replied. She looked at the Fourth Year and saw he was slowly inching away from the Fat Lady. "He should be out any minute. So what is new with you?" Rose smiled as she watched the boy speed away.

"Well, I—."

Rose never got to hear what was new with the Fat Lady. Ron stepped out just in time to save her from the Fat Lady's babbling.

He grinned broadly when he saw Rose. He was astounded by her beauty. She looked as if she had just walked out of the 1800s. Usually she wore a lot of make-up that made her look sexy. Without make-up, she was beautiful.

"Ro…Rose… You look beautiful!" Ron stammered. He offered his arm to Rose, who took it smiling.

Rose eyed Ron's costume. Wow, he made one sexy cow boy. His red hair was covered by a brown hat made of leather; he wore a leather vest and had leather chaps.

"Aren't saving any cows are we?" Rose giggled.

Ron blushed. "It was the only one I could afford."

"Wanna wait for Hermione? I know she doesn't have a date."

"Sure."

They waited for Hermione to come out. When she did come, she looked like a night goddess.

"Ask her to be your other date." Rose whispered into Ron's ear.

He nodded and looked at Hermione. "Er, Hermione?"

Hermione smiled when she saw Ron and Rose together. "Yeah Ron?"

"I was wonder if you would like to be my other date. Would ya?"

Hermione broke into a silly grin. "Sure Ron. Alright with you Rose?"

"Perfect."

Ron offered his other arm to Hermione and together, all three of them made their way to the Great Hall

**The Great Hall**

"Oh, Merlin! The Hall looks fantastic!" Hermione sighed.

"Wow, whoever decorated did a really great job." Ron said.

"Thank you, thank you." Rose did a small bow.

The Hall was semi-dark, which made all the decorations look scarier than when they put them up. The moon cast a radiant glow upon the floor, which had been cleared of tables for dancing.

The music was a mix of all different sorts of music. The dance floor was crowed with students in different costumes and all different colors.

"Come on, let's dance." Someone grabbed Hermione's arm and yanked her away. She left Ron and Rose to themselves.

"Wanna dance?" Rose finally asked Ron.

"Sure." Together they made their way to the dance floor.

Rose draped her arms around Ron's shoulders and swayed her hips in the movement of the song, which was slow.

After a few slow songs, the beat livened up a bit.

Rose decided to take a break and grabbed Ron's hand.

"Where're we going?" He asked grinning. He obviously had something very different on his mind.

To his disappointment, Rose answered, "Snackage."

She pulled him over to the refreshment table where a variety of sweets had been laid out.

Professor McGonagall was handing out cups of pumpkin juice. She gave a cup to Rose and then another one to Ron. "What do you say kids?"

"Er, thank you?" said Ron, confused.

"No, on Halloween."

"I know that one!" Rose beamed at her professor. "Trick or treat."

McGonagall laughed. "Good job. Happy Halloween."

Ron steered Rose away from the table into a darkened corner.

Rose cocked an eyebrow but sat down at the chair he motioned to.

"Having fun?" he asked.

"Great time. You?"

"Same. So, what do you think of Hermione's strange behavior?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she's all happy on minute, then the next she's all daggers."

"She's missing Draco. It's completely understandable."

"It's more confusing than anythi— Hey Harry!"

Harry, dressed like Peter Pan, walked arm in arm with his date, Chelsea who was dressed up like Maid Marian, walked up to the talking couple.

"How's it going guys?" Chelsea asked through a dazzling smile.

"Fine. You?" Rose replied.

"Fine, fine. Ooo, Harry! This is my favorite song. Let's dance." Chelsea pulled Harry away before he could saw another word to his friend.

Hermione came up to them, about ten minute after Harry and Chelsea left, all flushed from dancing. "This is the best night ever! I never want it to end."

"Me either." Rose gave an award winning smile to Ron, than another to Hermione.

All the students (except First-Third Years who couldn't go) were having a blast. This was the best Hogwarts party ever.

At least, it was.

Suddenly, every light went out. The moon and stars went blank. The music and students grew quiet.

Outside the castle, a storm seemed to spring up from nowhere. Lightening crackled and thunder roared.

The students thought this was a practical joke and some laughed weakly.

But it was no joke.

Soon the lights flickered back on and the storm passed. The students became abuzz.

Professor Dumbledore appeared a stage and quieted down the uneasy crowd.

"Silence please. It seems we have encountered some—technical—difficulties. Now it is fixed so please enjoy the rest of the dance. By the way, it is now 10:24. The dance is over at 12:00. Enjoy the rest of the night.

The music resumed playing and the students resumed dancing.

Rose, who had been squeezing the life out of Ron's hand, let go and shouted just loud enough so he could hear her. "What just happened?"

"I don't know."

"I have a really bad feeling about this."

Ron shrugged and pulled Rose closer to him. He kissed her cheek softly.

Rose smiled faintly and replied, "That made it somewhat better, but I still have a bad feeling about what happened."

"Oy, you two lovebirds! Let's keep the rating to at least G. Thank you." Hermione laughed as Ron kissed Rose on the lips.

Twenty minutes later an owl swooped down, carrying a letter and gave it to the owner. About fifty more owls followed after the first.

"What's happening?" Hermione asked.

Rose replied, "I have no clue."

Ron shrugged.

Abruptly, an owl flew down and landed on Hermione's arm. It had a letter in its beak.

"Well, grab it an open it." Rose encouraged.

Hermione nodded and took the letter. The owl flew away as she tore it open. She began to read.

'_Dear Miss Hermione Granger,_

_I am sorry to inform you that both of your parents, Henry and Diana Granger, have both died in an attack we believe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named planned. Many people, Muggles and magic folk alike, have died. _

_I am sorry for you loss—_

Hermione stopped reading. "Dead!" She burst into tears.

She wasn't the only one crying. About fifty other students were crying too.

Rose looked at Ron. "It seems He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is at it again."

Ron nodded. "Let's get out of here."

Rose agreed and helped Hermione get out of the Hall.

**Slytherin Common Room**

Rose had fallen asleep on the couch. When she woke, it was dark and everything had an eerie shadow to it.

The green carpet looked like a sea of black. The couches looked like monsters crouching, waiting to kill the next person who passed.

Rose shivered. _It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination. It's just my imagination..._ She repeated over and over to herself. She found a blanket and wrapped herself up in it.

A floorboard creaked. Rose gave a little jump. She tried to breathe but no breathe came to her. Her hands flew to her stomach. She remembered she hadn't taken off her costume, save for her bonnet which was lying uselessly on the floor like a pile of rags, and she was still wearing her corset. "I can't breathe." She gasped out. Her vision became a little fuzzy.

A lone figure walked into the room silently. It slumped down against a wall and whispered to itself.

"Shit! What the bloody hell have I done? I can't do this anymore. I don't give a damn shit! I quit!" The voice was familiar to Rose; so familiar it was like hearing her own.

Rose tried to look at the figure, but her vision was too blurry. So, she listened.

"Why me? It's not my fault I'm here. I hate this! I wish I was never alive! I hate this! It's painful! I want to stop. I quit! I BLOODY DAMN QUIT!" The person picked up something heavy and threw it. It landed with a loud _thump_ the shattered.

The person started crying. It was a woman, for sure. She was all fuzzy in Rose's eyes, but her voice was just weak.

Rose moved slightly on the couch. She was fading into unconsciousness.

"Wh…wh...who's t...there?" the startled woman began to move.

"Amelia?" Rose whispered.

"Rose?" Amelia crept over to Rose. "It is you. Oh, Rose! I'm so sorry. I didn't want too. I was forced to… Rose… Rose? Rose!"

Rose had slipped off the couch and was now lying on the floor unconscious.

**Hospital Wing**

The next morning Rose awoke in a whitish room. She was lying in a somewhat uncomfortable cot with starched white sheets. The seen was all too familiar.

"Damn," she whispered to herself. She sat up and leaned slightly back, putting some of her weight on her arms.

Madam Poppy Pomfrey walked by her bed then turned back to Rose's bed. A smile broke on her face. "Oh, good! You're awake. I was worried."

"How did I get here?" Rose asked, still slightly drowsy.

"Some Fourth Year brought you here. He said he couldn't sleep and he came down to the common room to do some homework. Then he saw you lying on the floor and lifted you up and brought you here."

"Did he use a spell or actually lifted me?"

"I don't know. Ask him yourself." She moved aside to show a short, blonde haired boy with aqua eyes.

"Umm, hi?" Rose said to him uncertainly.

"Er, hi." he answered quietly. "I, er, came to see how you were. You were kind of not breathing when I saw you last."

"Oh, yeah. Thanks about that."

"Welcome."

Madam Pomfrey smiled. "I leave you two alone." Then she walked away.

"So…" Rose said in an attempt to make conversation.

"So…" the boy echoed.

"So, er, what's your name?"

"Cody O'Keefe." Cody replied shortly.

"Well, thanks again."

"No problem."

"When you found me, was there anyone else in the room?"

Cody looked down at his shoes. "Don't laugh at me, but I think I heard something."

"What kind of something?"

"I think it was a cry of pain."

"Pain?"

"It might've been you."

"Doubt it."

"Oh, well." He looked down at his watch. "I have to go. Classes are going to start soon and I missed breakfast. See you."

"Yeah, bye. And thanks again."

Cody waved over his shoulder as he walked away.

Madam Pomfrey came back to Rose's cot with a bottle of a bright purple liquid.

Rose turned up her nose is disgust. "What's that?"

Madam Pomfrey handed her a teaspoon of the fluid, which Rose gulped down quickly.

"What's this?" Rose repeated. Madam Pomfrey handed her another teaspoon.

"It's an antidepressant potion."

"Why—?" Rose started to say but was cut off.

"Trust me, you will need it."

"Whatever you say. Can I go now?"

"Yes, just take it easy."

"Yessss! I mean, are you sure?" Rose lowered her head in embarrassment.

Madam Pomfrey pretended to not have noticed Rose's overenthusiastic remark. No child wanted to stay in the Hospital Wing, ever. Was it herself personally? Or was it just the thought of being in an infirmary that scared them?

She looked directly into Rose's venomously green eyes. "You may go."

Rose nodded and quickly left, fearing the reason why she had been given a potion.

**Great Hall**

As Rose walked into the Great Hall for lunch, the potion kicked in.

Everywhere Rose looked students looked like the living dead. They were either crying loudly, wandering about the Hall like a zombie or staring into space.

The only ones who weren't affected by the deaths of loved ones last night were Slytherins.

Obviously.

Rose slide carefully into the bench at the Slytherin Table. The Slytherins were laughing and talking like nothing had happened.

_The disgusting little brats, _Rose thought to herself. _They think they are all special because Lord Mean-And-Evil favors their parents. It's disgusting!_

Rose pushed her food around her plate and occasionally took a bite.

Suddenly, she dropped fork into her plate and pushed it away. She grabbed a copy of the _Daily Prophet _from a Seventh Year sitting next to her.

"Hey…" the Seventh Year started.

"Shut-up you damn fool." Rose spat at the student. She looked at the front cover and saw in bold letters:

_Murders At Midnight_

_Over seventy five wizards and Muggles with magic children, have been killed_

_This attack was believed to have been done By He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and His pack of Death Eaters._

Rose stopped reading and skimmed down to the list which had the names of the dead.

She stopped when she recognized two names she knew or at least she was familiar with.

Greta Granger and Gregory Granger.

How could it be true?

Poor Hermione!

Rose felt tears swell in her eyes. She fought to keep them down as she stood up. She flung the paper back at the Seventh Year and walked towards the Gryffindor Table.

Hermione, Ron and Harry sat silently at the table.

Rose cam up from behind them and gave Hermione a huge bear hug.

"Voor wat was dat?" Hermione asked.

"Huh?" Rose looked at Harry than to Ron. Ron was holding a book and was quickly flipping through it.

"She said 'What was that for?'" Ron said.

"How do you know?" Rose cocked an eyebrow at the redhead.

"This book." He held up the book _Dutch for Dummies_.

"Hermione knows Dutch. She's too depressed and sad to talk English. It's a way for her to lament. I think he mother was Dutch." Harry put in.

"Sure." Rose turned to Hermione. "Want me to do anything?"

"Verlaat mij alleen u kleine hoer!" Hermione screamed at the black haired witch. Then she burst into tears.

Rose turned back to Ron. "Translation please."

"'Leave me alone you little bitch.'" He bit his lip as Rose scowled at him. "She said it, not me."

Rose sighed. She turned back to Hermione. "Come on; let's skip classes for the rest of the day. Let's have a girl's day."

"De dag van een meisje? Bent u gek? Stierven mijn moeder en vader slechts en kunnen u allen aan is haar en spijkers denken? Inclusief ga u vervloeken!" Hermione shouted at her.

"Ron?"

"She said, 'A girl's day? Are you crazy? My mother and father just died and all you can think about is hair and nails? Damn you!'" Rose bit her lip.

"Ron, are you sure you don't know Dutch? You seem to know this language pretty well."

"Well, Hermione's tutored me in a lot of subjects. They don't always have to be school related, do they?"

Rose smiled at him.

Hermione stopped crying for a minute and pointed to the sky. "De blik! Er is een uil!"

Rose didn't need a translation for that because she saw an owl flying overhead with a letter.

The owl landed in front of Hermione and dropped its burden. Then it flew off.

"Open it." Harry urged Hermione.

"Ik wil in een minuut dat u bastaard ergerend."

"Oy, mate! You just got dissed!" Ron laughed at his friend.

"What did she say?" Rose asked.

"I will in a minute you annoying bastard." Ron laughed again and watched Hermione pick up the letter.

"I don't see why that is so funny. Hermione's practically flooded in her own tears, along with half the student body. How can you just sit there?"

Ron's face turned red.

Rose rolled her eyes and looked at her friend.

Hermione was… smiling? Why?

"What's up Mione?" Harry asked.

"Het goed nieuws! Van Draco de naar Hogwarts terugkomend!" Hermione hugged the setter to her breast.

"Draco's coming home. Whoopee" Ron did a pitiful cheer with his hand.

"She needed that lifting of spirits. Don't be such a prat."

A bell rang sounding the end of lunch.

**Wouldn't You Like to Know**

"You have disappointed me, Amelia." He said, his scarlet eyes cold.

She swept into a deep bow. "I am sorry. I did what you asked."

"Are you regretting the Mark?"

Amelia didn't answer.

"Answer me!" He barked. He drew out his wand and shouted a curse.

A red light struck her middle.

Amelia gasped in pain as she crumpled to the ground. She clutched her abdomen and cried out.

"Scream all you want, no one can hear you." He laughed hellishly.

Amelia tried to sit up, but fell back down. "Y… y...you…"

"Me what?" Amelia glared at him. "I should kill you now, but I'm afraid I might need you later."

"Monster!" Amelia managed to crack, despite the searing pain in her middle.

"Some would call me that." He laughed again and shouted another curse in her direction.

Amelia lay helpless on the stone floor, unmoving.

He laughed once more and left Amelia alone.

A/N: Like it? I didn't. It's depressing. I feel sort of bad for Amelia, do you? Please review. Criticism is always welcome. Just don't be too harsh…

I felt like putting in some Dutch. No, I am not Dutch, nor do I speak it. I just felt like putting in a different language in this chapter. So now I would like to dedicate this chapter to I made a new fanfic. It's called Who am I? Check it out please. For now I bid you _Tot ziens. _ (Goodbye!)


	9. Winter Masquerade

**A/N: Hope you enjoy this chappie! I plan to lighten the mood a tad bit! I have a very good reason for not updating. Just read the author's note at the bottom. Thanks!**

**Chapter Nine: Winter Masquerade**

November passed in a flurry of tears, homework, and one suicide. Yes, sadly one Fourth Year couldn't take it anymore. His whole family died. So one day he decided to tie the knot…around his neck. He was hanging out for quite some time until a teacher found him. By then he was gone.

November was a depressing month.

December was a little better. The students eventually got over the deaths of loved ones and order was restored back to Hogwarts.

But Rose was dreading Christmas Vacation. She would be going home to her parents. Joy to the world and all things made of peanut butter.

Rose was sitting in the Astronomy Tower one cold Sunday morning reading _Red Scarf Girl _by Ji-Li Jiang when the thought struck her. _What about Amelia? She hasn't been around a lot lately. _

As if it was planned, Amelia came running up the steps. She didn't notice Rose at all. She collapsed on the floor.

Rose dropped the book and ran over to Amelia. She was covered in blood and dirt. Her robes were slashed and covered in what seemed to be slime. She picked up her dirty head.

"Amelia?" What was she doing? She hated Amelia with a fiery passion that would make the devil himself green with envy. "Amelia?"

Amelia didn't move. Her face turned a chalk white and she became cold.

"No, no!" Rose placed her head down softly. "No! This cannot be happening!"

_What? Why do you care? She's an evil bitch from Merlin knows where!_

_Yes, but she's flesh and blood._

_So?_

_So what?_

_Just leave her here and go._

_No!_

_You must._

_I don't know what to do!_

Suddenly Rose knew what to do. She ran out of the room.

**Great Hall**

"Ok Harry, your move." Ron said.

Harry and Ron were playing Wizard Chess while Hermione was read _Hogwarts: A History _for what seemed to be about the sixty second time.

Suddenly Rose rushed into the room. "Guys, something's up with Amelia."

"You mean besides the fact that she's a psychotic bitch from hell?" Harry asked, trying to keep a straight face.

"Ha ha, very funny. I mean it. She's in the Hospital Wing. Come on! I'll explain on the way." Rose grabbed Hermione's arm, who grabbed Harry's arm, who grabbed Ron's arm, and sped towards the Hospital Wing.

When they got there, they found it empty.

Rose walked straight up to Madam Pomfrey. "Uh, Ma'am?"

"Yes?"

"Where's Amelia?"

"Who's Amelia?"

"That girl I brought in about ten minutes ago. She looks exactly like me."

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Now if you'll excuse me. Some First Year just jinxed himself." She walked away leaving the threesome.

"So Rosie—," Hermione began.

"Call me Rosie again and you'll wish that you would've brought a fire retardant."

"—I want to know what's up." Hermione finished.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you lie to us?"

"I didn't."

"Rose," Harry said as he put a comforting arm around the now shaking girl. "What's going on?"

"This morning I was in the Astronomy Tower reading when…" Rose told her tale of the mornings events.

"So, she's gone?" Ron asked in a nervous voice.

"I suppose so." Rose answered flatly.

"Where is she then?" Hermione asked. She furrowed her brows.

"Who knows, but I'm hungry." Ron said suddenly. His stomach growled to prove so.

"You conceited little bug-eyed prat!" Hermione gasped, but was laughing all the same.

"I think I'll try to get my mind off her a bit…" Rose mumbled to herself.

"What's that, love?" Ron asked her.

"I said 'the next person who comes near me will find there head on top of the Astronomy Tower."

Ron looked shocked at first. Then his face broke into a grin. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "I wouldn't mind seeing you try."

Rose stepped on his foot, hard, and gripped Hermione's arm. "Come on Mione. We're going to have a girl's day."

"A girl's day? That doesn't sound so bad. Come on Ron." Harry said.

"Great idea! We can do each other's hair and nails! Ooo! I think I'll go shopping for a fluffy pink bra with hearts all over it. Then I'll want a tight blue jean skirt that shows my thong when I bend over. Oh and how 'bout one of those low cut shirts?" Ron said in a high pitched voice that sounded similar to Hermione's.

"Yeah, we can play Quidditch all day and get all sweaty. Sound like fun Rose?" Hermione said in a deep tone, trying to mock Ron's voice.

The quartet laughed as they walked out of Hospital Wing.

"Speaking of Quidditch, what time is it?" Harry asked, grabbing Hermione's watch.

"When are you going to get a watch, Harry?" Rose rolled her eyes.

"When you buy me one." Harry looked at Rose hopefully.

"Nice try,"

"No really, what time is it?" Ron asked.

"Time for you to get a watch." Rose insisted.

Harry sighed and shook his head.

"Ok fine, it's 1:57." Hermione answered, holding onto her watch as Harry tried to take it off.

"Oh, damn! We're late!" Ron shouted. He grabbed Harry and the two of them ran off.

"For what?" Rose called after the vanishing boys.

The expected answer came: Quidditch.

Hermione and Rose sighed as they walk off to the library.

"Are you staying over Vacation?" Rose asked Hermione.

"Yes, you?"

"I wish! Its home to Sapphire and Vince for me. Whoop."

"It can't be all that bad."

"Oh yes it can."

Hermione didn't say anything.

Rose finally asked, "Is Draco coming home or what?"

"He wrote me and said that he'd be here any day." Hermione blushed. Rose didn't want to know what she was fantasying.

"That's nice."

**Slytherin Common Room**

Rose, once again, was curled up in a chair reading. Only this time she was reading a book called _The Scions of Shannara _by Terry Brooks.

The hour was midnight and almost everyone was asleep except for her dorm mates. You could hear their conversation clearly from the Great Hall! They must've found someway to convince the House Elves into bringing them Firewhisky.

Rose sighed as one of them yelled what time of month it was for them and how they missed it.

_Ew_.

Suddenly a figure stalked into the common room for outside and stopped before Rose.

She looked up and saw sleeked back blonde hair and mysterious gray eyes standing over her. "Draco? You're back! What's wrong?"

He responded by kissing her full on the lips, hard.

Rose lingered a bit too long before breaking away. "What the bloody hell do you think your doing?"

"My parents found out," came his short reply.

"About what? Why did you kiss me? What's wrong?"

He didn't respond. He just walked away up the dark staircase of the Boy's Dormitories.

Rose sighed and went back to her book.

A few minutes later a female voice entered her mind. It was her voice but yet it wasn't…

_I'm a screw-up! I'm going to die. I have to keep running. He's going to kill me…_

Then the voice stopped there.

_What was that? _Rose thought to herself. She looked down at the half empty glass of water next to her that she had been drinking. She picked it up and examined it. _It must be something in the water. _she thought.

Rose stood up and walked away to her dorm, leaving the water behind.

**Great Hall**

Hermione sat at breakfast scrambling her scrambled eggs. Her thoughts were far away to a time way before she received her first Hogwarts letter.

Life was simple then. Her parents had to work a lot but would always bring her to the zoo on Sundays. Her mother would always be home to cook dinner and her father would always be home to eat it.

Not anymore.

Hermione set down her fork and picked out her glass of pumpkin juice. She was just about to swallow when.

"Hello Granger!" Harry and Ron ran up to her, causing her to spit out the juice, which splattered in the first year's face across from her.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Rose's been looking for you." Ron said.

"Rose has been acting more like a Thorn." Harry stated.

"Best of luck!" Harry and Ron dashed away as Rose entered the Great Hall.

"Assholes," Hermione garbled after them.

Rose hiked over to the Gryffindor table and practically pulled Hermione off the bench.

"Rose, what's up?" Hermione asked as Rose lead her out of the Great Hall.

"He's back," she said shortly.

Hermione's whole body changed. Her face seemed to glow. Hot tingles went up her back. He legs became weak. "He's back!"

"He's back but in a really bad mood. I'm not sure if bad is a strong enough word to describe it. How 'bout a merciless or an unscrupulous or a debauched mood. That seems to cover it more."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Last night I was reading in the Common Room and he walked in, without anything but the clothes on his back and his wand. He came over to me and he…" Rose shook her head.

"Tell me," Hermione said cautiously.

"He kissed me." Hermione gasped. "And then he said he parents found out."

"About what?"

"I don't know. I asked him but he left."

Hermione was still in shock that she had been cheated but then, she knew it would happen. She wasn't _exactly _dating Malfoy.

Eager to change the subject, Rose asked, "We have two more days until break. Is there going to be a Winter Ball or what?"

Hermione smiled, happy that the subject changed, and replied "I thought I heard someone say it was going to be on out last night. I think Dumbledore's going to surprise us at lunchtime. I think it's a masquerade."

"How exciting."

"I think we also have no afternoon classes so we can go to Hogsmeade to buy costumes."

"Yes! No Potions!" Rose giggled.

The bell rang sounding the beginning of classes.

"Bye!" the two girls said at the same time as they parted.

**Great Hall**

"Quiet down students. Thank you." Professor Dumbledore said as the Hall calmed down. "It seems talk of a Masquerade Ball has escaped from the mouths who knew about it." He looked at Hermione, who blushed at lowered her head. "I must tell you all that it is true." Cheers rang out from every corner of the Hall. "But, alas, it is only for Fifth Years and above."

There were several groans. Someone shouted, "Why Fifth Years and above? Isn't it always Fourth Years and above?"

Dumbledore's eyes held a twinkle of mischief. "I have decided to change that because I thought getting out of afternoon classes and no homework over break would be enough for the younger students." Cheers. "I know most of you really want to go to the Ball but I am allowing the younger students decorate.

"As I said there will be no afternoon classes so Fifth Years and above could go shopping. That is all. Let us eat!"

The students cheered and ate quickly so they could get ready to go. The Fourths Years and younger ate a bit slower but were waiting to plan decorations for the Hall.

**Hogsmeade**

"Try this one." Hermione said to Rose as she grabbed a green dress.

"It's beautiful but I don't want to buy a new costume. I'll just use my Halloween costume and change it a bit. All I need is a mask."

"Suit yourself." Hermione racked through dresses and found a dark green velvet ball dress.

It had off-the-shoulder sleeves and a lower than normal neckline. The skirt consisted of three layers; each one darker than the first. The mask that came with it was the same green but had pearls surrounding the frame of it.

Rose looked at the dress in awe.

"Now tell me you don't want this." Hermione said smartly.

"I do but I shouldn't."

"All you need is a strand of pearls to set this dress off perfectly."

"Fine, I'll take it." Rose said as she grabbed the dress from Hermione. "Now we need to find you one."

Rose searched through the dress and stopped. She found it. It was perfect.

The dress itself was beautifully designed. It had off-the-shoulder sleeves and was the as style as Rose's. It was midnight blue velvet at the top then the skirt started that was but slowly turned into black. There were little lights that twinkled, giving her the ides that they were stars. The dress was the night sky.

The mask was the same as Rose's mask except it was midnight blue.

Hermione smiled as she fingered the dress. "I want it."

The girls giggled as they paid for the dress and walked back to Hogwarts.

**Slytherin Common Room**

Amelia paced the floor.

He would find her.

Soon.

Very soon.

She was waiting for someone, preferably Rose, to get help from.

What was she thinking? Her, Amelia, needing help?

It was impossible.

And yet…

She shook her head. No one was going to help her now. She was doomed.

Why had she decided to be a Death Eater? What was her purpose here on Earth?

All she knew was she was doomed.

As she heard voices approaching, she fled. She didn't know where to go. She didn't know anything except,

She was doomed…

**Slytherin Girl Dormitories**

Rose packed her trunk hastily. She would be going home to her parents to their slave once again. How fun that would be.

When she was done she pulled out her green dress that Hermione picked out. Tonight was the night of the Ball. In about two hours, she would be dancing the night away and forgetting all her troubles.

She flung it, along with the mask and a strand of peals she had found in her trunk, on her bed. She grabbed her shower stuff and went to the showers to take a short shower.

When she was done, she wrapped a towel around her body and did a Quick Drying Charm on her body and hair. Then she set to work.

She fixed her hair. She pulled her hair up in a chignon. Then she wove pearl strands in her hair. To perfect it, it took about seventy minutes to do.

Forty minutes remaining.

Next she did her make-up. She used her Muggle products she brought from home. She put a faint green eyeshadow on and lightly put on mascara. Next she used a little dab of blush for her pale cheeks. Lastly, she put on a pale red lipstick.

She smiled at her reflection.

Fifteen minutes to go.

She flew into her room and put on her dress, mask and necklace. She took a quick glance in a mirror and left.

**A Random Corridor**

Rose paced the corridor. In about ten minutes, Hermione and Rose would walk in and dance the night away.

Hermione and Rose were planning on meeting in a corridor with the picture of a random green witch with flying monkey. It was supposed to be a joke. The witch was the Wicked Witch of the West from a Muggle book called The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Suddenly Rose caught sight of something blue. It was Hermione's dress.

"Hermione? Finally! I've been waiting forever." Rose ran up to her.

"Rose, you could've told me to wear something different. We look exactly the same."

It was partially true. Their hair was done the same way. Their make-up was slightly different (Hermione's eyeshadow was blue not green) and their dress were different.

"And ruin the surprise? Never."

The girls giggled and hurried to the Great Hall.

Once they got there, they were overcome with surprise. The First through Fourth Years had done a fascinating job decorating.

Snow fell from the ceiling but disappeared before it hit the ground. The walls looked like shops during Christmas time. There were snowmen everywhere. There were even snow banks along the wall. In one corner was a giant Christmas tree decorated with everything symbolizing Christmas.

The tables, of course, were all gone except for the ones that held Christmas munchies.

"It's beautiful!" Hermione cried in awe.

"It's wonderful!" Rose sighed happily.

"Yes, and you're beautiful."

Rose spun around to find a tall, masked boy with blonde wearing a blue king's outfit standing behind her with his arm held out. "Shall we dance?"

Rose smiled and gracefully accepted his arm. "We shall."

He led her away to the middle of the dance floor where students were dancing slowly with the beat (A/n: slow song for those of you who are descriptively impaired). He pulled her close. She slid her arms around his neck. She rested her head on his chest (A/n: He was tall, remember?) and breathed in his pinewood sent. She sighed contently as they swayed to the beat.

"How are you enjoying yourself tonight?" he asked.

"Magnificently. You?"

"With you in my arms I feel careless."

Thank goodness he couldn't see her blush. "That's very sweet of you."

They danced a few more songs together. He whispered comments to her about who he thought was who and how pretty she looked.

Another slow song came and they danced.

The song ended and Dumbledore stood on a platform. "I would like to play this next song because I think it fits tonight's theme perfectly." He clicked his fingers and the song started.

_Masquerade!_

_Paper faces on parade…_

_Masquerade!_

_Hide you face,_

_So the world will_

_Never find you!_

_Masquerade!_

_Every face a different shade…_

_Masquerade!_

_Look around-_

_There's another_

_Mask behind you!_

"Shall we dance once more?" he asked Rose.

"I don't see how, but I'd love to."

Suddenly, just like in a musical, the whole dance floor danced the same dance. Every movement was precise. (A/n: if you've ever seen the play or movie; think of that)

_Flash of mauve…_

_Splash of puce…_

_Fool and king…_

_Ghoul and goose…_

_Green and black…_

_Queen and priest…_

_Trace of rouge…_

_Face of beast…_

_Faces…_

_Take your turn, take a ride_

_On the merry-go-round…_

_In an inhuman race…_

_Eye of gold…_

_Thigh of blue…_

_True id false…_

_Who is who…?_

_Curl of lip…_

_Swirl of gown…_

_Ace of hearts…_

_Face of clown…_

_Faces…_

_Drink it in, drink it up,_

_Till you've drowned_

_In the light…_

_In the sound…_

_But who can name the face…?_

_Masquerade!_

_Grinning yellows,_

_Spinning reds…_

_Masquerade!_

_Take your fill-_

_Let the spectacle _

_Astound you!_

_Masquerade!_

_Burning glances,_

_Turing heads…_

_Masquerade!_

_Stop and stare_

_At the sea of smiles around you!_

_Masquerade!_

_Seething shadows,_

_Breathing lies_

_Masquerade!_

_You can fool_

_Any friend who_

_Ever knew you!_

_Masquerade!_

_Leering satyrs_

_Peering eyes…_

_Masquerade!_

_Run and hide-_

_But a face will _

_Still pursue you!_

At that point the dancing stopped with everyone out of breath.

"I felt like I was part of the musical for a minute." Rose gasped, happily.

"So did I." He said as he led her away from the dance floor. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Water please."

He bowed and left her standing alone.

Rose caught sight of Hermione running towards her. "Hello."

"Hello. Having a nice night?"

"The best."

"How many people have you danced with?"

"Just one."

Hermione raised her eyebrows then laughed. "Let me rephrase. How many dances did you dance?"

"All of them."

"I found Ron and Harry. Harry if dressed like Zorro and Ron's dressed like a cowboy." Hermione said in a matter of fact tone.

"I wonder who I've been dancing with all night."

"I would guess Draco."

"Why?"

"He has blonde hair."

"So do about one fourth of the boys here."

"Good point."

Just then Rose's mysterious date came back. "Here you go." He handed Rose her drink.

"Thanks."

"I'll be seeing you. Bye!" Hermione left.

"This is good. It isn't water but it's good."

"There wasn't any water so I got you punch."

"It's good!" Rose gulped down her cup and it refilled instantly. She gulped it down too. "I didn't realize how thirsty I was."

He laughed and put his arm around her shoulders. "I think I should leave you so someone else can dance with you."

"Promise me the last dance?"

"Of course." He left and disappeared in the throng of students.

Rose stood alone, gulping down glass after glass of punch, for about ten minutes before someone came to dance with her. He was dressed as a cowboy.

"Rooooony? Is that you?" Rose asked/giggled in a singsong voice.

"Yeah. Rose? You alright?"

She was practically on top of him. She was pressed so close to him that she could feel his pelvis against her leg.

"Rose stop!"

"What?" she giggled.

"Are you alright?"

"Never been better." She pulled his hand over her breast.

"Rose, did you have the punch?"

"Yes, it was marvelous!"

"Oh shit! Rose, didn't you know someone spiked it with Firewhisky?"

She stopped giggling and looked at him. "Ronny, why don't we get away from this dance and have some alone time together? Wouldn't you like that?"

"Rose, you're drunk!"

"What's the problem here?" He was back.

"Rose is drunk and she wants to shag me right now." Ron looked at him. "Who are you?"

He brushed the question aside. "That's not important right now. Let's get her out of here."

"Oooo! Loookie heeer! It's my Kiiing!" Rose giggled.

He lifted her up with no trouble at all and carried her out of the Great Hall with Ron following.

Rose was trying to unbutton his shirt and was almost successful by the time they reached the Hospital Wing.

"What's wrong?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Someone spiked the punch and Rose had a little too much." Ron answered.

Madam Pomfrey sighed. "She's going to have one nasty hangover if she doesn't stay here over night. Very well. You," she addressed the King. "Place her in a bed. And you," she pointed to Ron. "Go tell the Headmaster about the punch. Hurry!"

The two boys did as she said. Madam Pomfrey went into her office to get a potion.

The king placed her softly on a bed and took off her mask. Right after Rose pulled his off.

"Draaaco! I'm een a firey mooood toonight! Shag mee senseless!" Rose squealed she as ripped his shirt off.

Draco tried the best to hide his pleasure. "Rose, give me back my shirt. I'm going to leave you. Madam Pomfrey's going to give you a potion to make you feel better."

"I've neaver felt beeter!" Rose wrapped her arms around Draco which cause him to fall on her.

"Stop!" he said, even though his was clearly enjoying it.

Rose pulled him in closer and kissed him over and over.

Unfortunately, Madam Pomfrey walked in right then. She walked over and beat Draco on the back with a stick and sent him away.

"Rose dear, take this." She spooned a potion in Rose's mouth.

Rose fell asleep as soon as the potion slid down her throat.

**Hospital Wing**

Rose woke up to find herself, once again, in the Hospital Wing wearing a simple white nightgown. "Oh shit!" She had a splitting headache.

Madam Pomfrey walked over. "You're up, good. Take this and keep it with you. Take it every hour to avoid further headaches." She handed Rose a small green bottle with a pink liquid in it.

Rose obeyed the orders. Surprisingly the potion tasted like chocolate.

"When came I go?" Rose asked the nurse.

"You can go now. I had your clothes and trunk taken care of. Just go down to the Entrance Hall, they're waiting for you."

She nodded and left. _I forgot, I'm going home today. Shit, shit, shit, shit…_

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know I did. Being the musical freak that I am, I had to put Masquerade from The Phantom of the opera in this chapter. I had no idea Rose was going to get drunk. It just sort… happened….**

**I had to lighten the mood to make you happy! Next chapter will not be happy.**

**Now for my perfectly good excuse for not updating: WRITER'S BLOCK!**

**Thank to all who reviewed!**

**Taiyourshoes: Yes, they are hoodlums.**

**Kristin: yeah, well, you're not completely sane either… LOL!**

**Saxifrage: You'll never find out! Well, I have no clue what will happen to Amelia. I'm getting suspicious too…**

**Trojan Cheese: Screw toodles! **

**And to everyone else that I didn't mention: Thanks for reviewing!**

**Please review! It will make my day and maybe even make me update faster…**

**P.S. What do you think about Draco? Is he a player? Is he confused? Or is he just a guy?**

**I love you if you review!**


	10. There's No Place Like Home

**A/N: Hello again from the Community Insane Asylum! I haven't updated in a while because I have been rocking to and fro in a nice cotton straight jacket in a nice rubber room. Some really nice people in white lab coats have taken care of me. Isn't that nice?**

**Ok, that's not really what happened but please read Author's note at the bottom. Thanks a whole bunch! **

**Chapter Ten: There's No Place Like Home…**

**7117 Silver Torch Rd.**

Rose watched the Knight Bus speed away in a flash of purple. Then she turned her attention to the mansion—no, castle—in front of her. It was seven stories tall and an acre and a half wide. The windows were the long, elegant floor length kind. The doors were large and made out of red oak. The castle was made out of gray stone and it was complete with towers and everything.

There were two main gardens. The East Garden, which consisted of a quarter of an acre of plants from China. This garden was on the East side of the castle. The other garden was a regular garden with walkways, trees, fountains and a coy pond.

The whole house looked like it was right out of a fairy tale.

Rose sighed as she gazed at the house. _Home sweet home... _ She picked up her luggage and walked up the entry pathway. She looked longingly at the entrance doors for a minute and walked away towards the servant door.

It was a plain door hidden by a tree. She approached quietly and knocked softly.

A middle aged woman with graying brown hair in a tight bun and large blue eyes opened the door. She was wearing a dirt splattered apron over a long red dress. When she saw Rose, she smiled. "My dear Rose, is it that time already?"

"Hello Gisella. Nice to see you again." Rose stepped inside and looked about the room. It was a kitchen. "How's everyone here?"

"They're doing nicely. We've missed you so much. Let's put your things away." Gisella lead Rose to a corridor with lots of doors. She opened one door and motioned her in. Rose obeyed and walked in.

The room was a small servant's room. It had one small window with a tree just outside of it so it was hard to look out. It had a bed and a dresser. There was enough room to cramp in a nightstand. The walls were bare except for one mirror and a picture of a small little girl holding a broom with a Quidditch pitch behind her.

"No one's touched my room. Good." Rose said as she smiled to Gisella.

"I made sure of that. We have a batch of new servants who will need training. Unpack and I will inform the Master and Mistress that you are back."

"Do you have to? Can't you not tell them? I don't want them to know yet. I want to be a behind the scenes servant for a while. I don't wanna have to follow my mother—I mean, the Mistress around." Rose sighed. She almost called her _mother. _ One very important rule: as long as Rose was to stay in this house, she is a servant and she has no relation to the Master or Mistress.

"I will inform them in three days. Sound fair?"

Rose sighed again. "Four days?"

"No, only three."

A boy with shaggy, dirty blonde hair with gorgeous hazel-blue eyes walked inside Rose's room. He looked to be about a little older than Rose. He said, "Gisella, Boris needs you in the kitchen." Then he looked at Rose and smiled. "Hi, I'm Drake." He stuck out his hand.

Rose clasped it and smiled. "Hi, I'm Rose."

"I'm new around here. Are you?"

"No, I've been here all my life." Rose shot a daring glance at Gisella. She was smiling to the ceiling.

"I think I should go now. Rose, remember our deal." Gisella left.

"Deal?" Drake shot up an eyebrow.

"I'm supposed to train some new servants."

Drake grinned mischievously. "I think I need some training. Care to show me how?"

Rose stopped smiling. "I'm not a whore if that's what you're implying. I have work to do. Now if you'll excuse me. I need to get changed and put my stuff away."

"I'm sorry. You're just so beautiful." Drake gave her an apologetic grin.

Rose let herself give a small smile. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen. Fresh out of Durmstrang. You?"

"Sixteen. My birthday is in a couple of weeks."

"What day?"

"It doesn't matter." _Get him out of your mind. He's not important. Think about Ron. Drake's a nice guy so far. And not to mention extremely cute. No! Think about Ron or Draco. Yes, Draco. He has nice blonde hair. But so does Drake. _"Will you excuse me now? I need to get changed."

"Of course." Drake stepped outside her door and shut it.

Rose sighed and opened her dresser. Inside was ten dresses neatly folded. All of them were either a black, dark green or dark blue. She picked up a green one and put it one. It fell past her ankles and barely swept the floor. It looked very medieval. The bodice was pulled tight so it looked a little like a corset. The neckline was a little low for her liking and the sleeves were long and elegant. It was a very medieval peasant look.

Rose quickly plaited her hair and grabbed some shoes. She looked quickly at her reflection and smiled at what she saw. She looked like a medieval servant, just the way she liked it.

In fact, about everyone's (the servants that is) clothing looked medieval. The whole house was, practically, straight out of the Middle Ages.

A knock came from the door followed by a muffle, "Are you done yet?"

Drake was outside. Rose shook her head. She had forgotten.

"Yes," she called to him.

He came in with a plastered smile on his face. "I just got here yesterday. Wanna show me around the house?" Drake raised his eyebrows up and down.

Rose sighed with a smile. "If I must." Rose shoved passed him to get out of her small room. She was pressed against him so that her breasts brushed his crossed arms. A pleasant tingle went up her spine. She started walking in no apparent direction with Drake trailing.

_No, this cannot be happening! This. Can. Not. Be. Happening! He's just a guy who happens to be extremely good looking. You like Ron and maybe even Draco… Well, not Draco _that _much. Think about Ron. Think about his flaming red hair. It's nothing compared to Drake's though… STOP! How about eyes? Yes! Ron has soft sensitive eyes. Yet Drake's eyes pull me in. I want to take years to explore them. His mouth is soft and smooth. He must be an excellent kisser. No, bad girl. Don't think such thoughts. He's not for sale—_

"Fairy?" Drake said suddenly, calling her back from her thoughts.

"Fairy?" Rose wrinkled her nose.

"I thought it suited you. You in that dress reminds me of a story book fairy. Or maybe a pixie."

"Pixie sounds better."

"Then Pixie it is!"

Rose and Drake chuckled for about…a long time. Then Drake fell silent.

"What is it Drake?" Rose asked suddenly.

Drake pointed to the walls about them.

The walls were stone, of course, but this corridor was darker than the others. Moving pictures hung about the walls of family. Every single member of the Williams clan dating date to ancient times was there, except for Rose. One picture was of a handsome man and an attractive woman who stood smiling at a torn off piece on the left side, right where Rose was supposed to go.

"This place is creepy. What is it?" Drake asked, taking her hand.

"I think it's the family room, if you catch my drift." Rose said, clasping his hand.

"Why is that picture torn?" He asked pointing to the picture with Rose missing.

"I'm not sure." Rose answered nervously. "I think the parents didn't like their daughter so they disowned her."

"How do you know it's a daughter? Why can't it be a son?"

"Maybe they're still in to that sexist 'sons are better than daughters' thing. That's really old shit."

"Maybe." Drake said, not looking all that convinced.

"Come on, you said you wanted to be trained," Rose shot him a warning glance as she said this. "And I think we should get to it before we get too sidetracked."

"I suppose." Drake pushed Rose against a wall.

"What are you—?" Drake pressed his mouth against hers. She opened hers in reply. Drake pressed against her.

Suddenly the wall behind them fell in. Rose fell backwards and Drake landed half on her.

"Ouch! Drake, get off me!" Rose said as she rubbed her head.

"Sorry, Pix." He shifted off her and sat up. His eyes were wide in the half light.

Rose followed his gaze.

It was a dark and dusty room. The darkness seemed to absorb the light like a black hole. There were spiders and cobwebs everywhere.

"What is this place?" Rose asked as she surveyed the room.

"I dunno. It's too dark to see clearly."

"Then use a spell dumb-ass."

"That would make sense. _Lumos._"

"Guys are so stupid." Rose muttered as the room lit up.

The room was made out of stone, like everywhere else, but the floor was carpeted with moth eaten blood red carpet. There were seven small three legged stools in one corner and beside that were seven small beds.

"Looks like this is the home of the seven dwarfs." Drake said with a chuckle.

"Seven dwarfs?" Rose cocked an eyebrow. "Where did that come from?"

"It's from a fairy tale. I used to read a lot of those when I was younger."

"Ummm, sure. Was it a Muggle fairy tale?"

"Er, yeah. I used to live in Poland in the Muggle World. Then I moved to Spain. Then I moved to Demark. Then I moved to England. Then I moved to the Sates. Then I—"

"Ok, I get the point. You've been a lot of places."

"You get acquainted with random Muggle things. I was obsessed with fairy tales and I had a brother obsessed with some hot, model celebrity named Jimmy D. My brother was a little on the crazy side."

"That's nice to know. I—"

Suddenly a squeaky voice interrupted them from behind. "May I be of assistance?

Drake and Rose spun around to find a really fat House Elf standing behind them holding a try of cookies.

"Would you like a cookie?" The House Elf held up the try.

"Pass." Rose and Drake said simultaneously.

"Yes." The House Elf bowed and then snapped its fingers. The tray disappeared.

"What's your name?" Rose said, trying to avoid the question she knew was coming.

"Fabioannadreameryolivioparkswalkertonyukono." Replied the House Elf. (A/n: Fabio-anna-dreamery-olivio-parks-walkerton-yukono.)

"So, Fabioannacreameryolivewalksinparksyounka, what's this room?" Drake asked.

"This is Fabioannadreameryolivioparkswalkertonyukono's room. He shares it with Moonalunasolieomannaclapper, Solsticesunnerbeaverlickermen, Hebecliouraniathaliamelpomenevenus, Hellogoodbyesolongfarwellwelcomenicetomeetyou, Jeyericaloontenmenos and Xia."

"Do you have an easier name?" Rose asked desperately.

"Yes, I am known as Fabio. Moonalunasolieomannaclapper is known as Luna. Solsticesunnerbeaverlickermen is known as Sunny. Hebecliouraniathaliamelpomenevenus is known as Thalia. Hellogoodbyesolongfarwellwelcomenicetomeetyou is called Linkon. Jeyericaloontenmenos' other name is Barney. And Xia's name is Vivatonamanelekaelekaotootonaman."

"Fascinating." Drake said sarcastically.

"My I ask why you knocked down Fabio's door?"

"It was an accident. We didn't mean to. I just gave away." Rose said in a blush.

"Young Miss's cheeks are turning a lovely cherry red. It's the same color of your lips, which make you look beautiful.

Rose cocked and eyebrow while Drake gagged.

What is House Elf for real?

_Oh Merlin! This guy's screwy. He's hitting on me! _Rose thought to herself as she fought down the urge to gag. _EEEWWWWWWWW!_

"Er Pixie, do you hear Gisella calling? I think I do." Drake grabbed my arm. "Nice meeting you, Fabio."

Rose smiled. _Drake is my savior. No! He's just a guy with a totally sexy body…_

"The pleasure was all mine." The House Elf bowed.

"Bye." Rose said as she practically ran back to the corridor.

"That was strange." Drake said as he smiled.

_His teeth are perfectly aligned. So white…_

"Yeah. I—"

"You there, girl! What are you doing?" a high pitched voice shrieked.

Rose winced and turned around. "Yes, Mistress?"

"What are you doing standing around? Shouldn't you be at work?" asked the voice.

Rose looked at her "Mistress". She was thin and pale. Her hair was black and fell to her lower back. Her face looked exactly like Rose's.

Rose curtsied. "I am at work, Mistress. I am showing this new servant how to clean and fix things. Right now we are fixing this wall." She curtsied again.

"Very well." Sapphire Williams' eyes went cold when they met Rose's. "When you are done, come into my parlor. I need a better maid. The one I have now is horrid."

"As you wish, Mistress."

"But first make sure this boy has found his job in the kitchens. I'm sure the cook needs some assistance." With that she stalked away.

"Pixie, did you know that you two look—." Drake started.

"Go to hell. Actually, go to the kitchens. Bye."

Rose walked away, leaving Drake to silently go to the kitchens.

_Ah, home sweet home. I just can't wait to be there to serve my mother's every needs. I came home for this? I guess everyone is right. There _is _no place like home. Man this sucks._

**A/N: Very short chappie, yes I know. I had many things happening at home so I shall tell you the main one. I had to get a freakin cast on my leg. Fun stuff. And I also I found out that my aunt has cancer. But no worries! It was caught early enough so she'll be fine.**

**Any-who, time for the reviewers:**

**Trojan Cheese: You are so very welcome, you freak of nature you!**

**Saxifrage: Now the wheel has turned around, Jean Valjean is nothing now… Lol. Sorry, a Les Miserables moment. But it's true, the wheel has turned. Don't you agree? Now a moment from Ping-Pong: Do vo have de ko kard? LOL!**

**Jessica: Wow… you must be bored.**

**DrunkenBuddie: Sure it wasn't you… Yes, she is very weird when she is drunk, but aren't we all? Even when we are not drunk? Lol!**

**To everyone else out there: please review!**

**Ta!**

**S.S. **


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